


The Robb Stark Chronicles: Between the Bludgers

by kingz



Series: The Robb Stark Chronicles [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Bullying, Developing Relationship, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Lots of sarcasm, Multi, POV Robb Stark, Robb Stark is a Gift, Sarcasm, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-07-02 11:42:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 141,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15795804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingz/pseuds/kingz
Summary: Robb is back for his second year at Hogwarts, and this time he will not let anyone destroy what's left off his reputation. Now he only has to get on back his house's good side, make sure the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team wins the House Cup, keep an eye on his younger brother and find out what happened to hs best friend throughout the summer. Sounds easy, right? Not really. Meanwhile, a sudden coincidence leads to the boy discovering there might be something bigger going on inside the castle, involving the headmistress and her second-in-command.





	1. Off to a Fresh Start

  * Robb?




The blue-eyed boy turned his gaze from outside the window back to his brother as he heard his name being said. Usually, he was the first one to start the conversation as he has always utterly hated the unpleasant feeling caused by an awkward silence. Today, however, he wasn't too talkative. He'd rather he could just get lost in his thoughts for the next seven or eight hours, staring at the Scottish moors the Hogwarts Express was passing through. After all, these may have been the only moments of quiet he was going to experience in a long time.

  * Did you say something? – Robb asked, half-conscious.

  * Yeah, I did – Jon replied, slightly annoyed. - About thirty seconds ago,




This made Robb feel rather bad. After all, it was Jon's first year at Hogwarts, and ever since the begining of summer vacation, no one has been paying attention towards it. Well, they did, but his older brother's comeback year has definitely overshadowed his younger brither's departure. Robb promised that he would be able to make it up to him by at least being the only person paying attention to what he's been saying, but apparently he wasn't doing a very good job at it.

  * I'm sorry, Jon – he apologized. - It's just that-

  * Don't worry, I get it – the raven-haired boy said before he too returned his gaze towards the window.




Scotland was looking particularly beautiful this autumn. Yup, summer was over. No more laying in the sun, without having to worry about the Transfiguration assignment. It was high time to go back to school. Never before has Robb felt the time passing as quickly as it did during the past two months. Not so long ago he has returned from Hogwarts, and now it was time for him to get back to King's Cross Station and leave for another nine months to study Potions, Herbology, Astronomy and other things he was fairly sure he won't ever have to use in adult life... just kidding. Studying has definitely been far from the worst thing about Robb's return to Hogwarts. Despite his complicated relationship with Potions, he was a rather good student. It was seeing everyone he left two months ago that was the most fear inducing about it. On one hand, he really missed Hogwarts and couldn't wait until he sees it again. Even though it could be hard at times, he really enjoyed learning new spells or listening to stories about dark creatures from different parts of the world. To be honest, he couldn't wait until the first lessons have started, despite the fact that soon he was probably going to regret it. On the other hand, it meant nothing more than a promise of very awkward nine months spent in the company of: a group of his ex-friends, who want to have nothing to do with him, a psychopathic headmistress, who will not stop at anything to get him kicked out of the school, a creepy Potions teacher, prone to oversharing information, especially those concerning Robb's family and of course, last but not least, Ramsay Bolton. The name should speak for itself.

Yeah, suffice to say it was going to be a rather interesting year for Robb Stark.

  * Are you mad at me? - Robb asked after a moment of quiet, earning a surprised look from Jon.

  * Why would I be?

  * It's just that... I feel bad. Ever since I've come back home the only thing we would talk about was me, even though it is your first year.




It may have sounded horrible, but that was the truth. Of course no one was doing it on purpose. It just happened. Robb was way more outgoing than Jon and, as a first born, all attention would immediately go towards him. It may have been tiring sometimes, but overall it was nice to know that someone still cares about him. Jon, however, has always been more low key than him. Robb has never been a social butterfly, but his younger brother was even more of a loner than he was. He didn't have many friends in the primary school, but that didn't seem to bother him too much. While Robb has always desperately tried to befriend as many people as he could, Jon seemed to be doing just fine on his own. He didn't need anyone else. Still, he must've been at least a bit upset over the fact that his brother garnered all the attention he rightfully deserved.

However, Jon just sent him a warm smile in response and shook his head.

  * Don't worry – he said. - I never liked being center of attention anyway.




Robb sighed in relief and returned a smile. After pissing off so many people last year, the last thing he wanted was to loose his brother too. By the time he left Hogwarts for the summer, the number of people who liked him or at least tolerated his presence at school equaled three. It may have not seemed like a large number, but for now it was enough. With the addition on Jon, the list consisted of exactly four people, the other being Loras, Podrick and Theon. Yeah, it was safe to say that Robb wasn't the most popular guy at school. In fact it was hard to think of anyone less popular than him. Let's see... as a matter of fact, there was a few annoying guys (cough, Viserys, cough) in the earlier years, whose infamy could've matched Robb's own, but with them it was different. By now, they were established villains and everyone knew of how awful they really were. Robb, however, was new to the scene. His secret has been revealed barely a month before end of the year, so the memories were still fresh. He had no idea how the rest of school would react to his return. Despite that, he has promised himself that by the end of the year, he would bring the number up to ten, and he knew exactly who he wants to see on the list.

Over the summer Robb didn't receive too many letters, which may have been due to his status as the house traitor. To be honest, the only person he still had any kind of contact with, besides his uncle Benjen, was Podrick. Part of him still hoped, that one day he would wake up to see a letter from Torrhen or Wendel or maybe even Talisa waiting for him on the table, but that never happened. Throughout the next two months, he had no idea what was going on with his friends... well, ex-friends, but still. He tried to ask Podrick about them; how are they feeling, where are they spending the holiday, are they still mad at him, but he never got a direct answer. He had no idea if the boy truly did not know or did he just try to avoid the answer. One thing was for sure – it was not good.

Robb pulled up the sleeve of his jacket to check what time is it. According to the watch, wrapped around the wrist of his right hand, it's already been twenty minutes since the train has left King's Cross. Everything seemed to be normal, but Robb knew that there was something missing, or rather that there was _someone_ missing. He snuck a quick glance in direction of the door, but unfortunately for him, the compartment remained closed.

  * Are you sure he'll come? – Jon said, seemingly aware of his brother's thoughts.

  * He will come – his older brother replied defensively. - I know he will.




There was another moment of silence, before Jon continued.

  * Did he write anything?

  * No, he didn't.




Hearing that, Jon sent a sympathetic smile towards Robb, as if he wanted to give him a hug, and looked towards the door himself.

  * He'll come eventually.

  * I hope so – Robb replied.




For a moment the boys observed the door in silence, waiting for someone to walk inside their compartment, but no one did.

As it was said before, the only person he still had any kind of contact with was Podrick. No one else. His friends still hated him, and Theon... well... The first letter to him Robb has sent barely three days after coming back home. He wanted to write earlier, but his parents advised to him to give his friend a break. That was actually a really helpful tip. After all, Robb didn't want Theon to get bored of him just as quickly as the boys in his previous school did. He awaited the third day of vacation impatiently, and as it came, he sprung up from his bed immediately and rushed towards his desk to write a letter to Theon. He wrote about reuniting with his family and his beloved dog, how he was spending his free time, Jon's upcoming first year at school, his worries about the upcoming year and hopes that maybe at least one of his friends would write a letter to him. He frankly could not wait until Balthazar comes back with a response. Eventually, the owl did come back. A response, however, did not. He wrote one more time, starting with: _“Seeing that the first message must have not reached you...”_ He blamed Balthazar for losing the letter, even though through the bird's sixteen years of work for the Stark house it has never happened before. This time no reply has come back either, so a week later he wrote once more, then two weeks later, then two more weeks later and once more in the last week of summer holiday. Each time, no response has come back. This must have meant only one thing. Theon did not like him anymore. But why? Why did Theon not reply? What could've possibly happened in the three days of his absence, that has provoked him not to want to be his friend again? Why did Theon leave him?

  * Okay – Jon decided – let's change the subject. It has gotten way too sad in here.




Well, he was right. The thought of Theon has effectively brought the older boy down, even considering that he wasn't in a particularly good mood to begin with. For Jon, though, he could at least try to pretend he was feeling okay.

  * Great idea – Robb said, forcing a tiny smile onto his face. - What would you want to talk about?

  * Could you remind me how does the Sorting Ceremony look like one more time?




Robb nodded his head, but he was rather sure that Jon knew what's going to happen by now. He asked him about it at least five more times before. He seemed to be very nervous about the sorting. Not that Robb could blame him. On his first day at Hogwarts, he also dreaded the results, hoping that somehow he'll end up in Gryffindor. Of course, that didn't work out, and he got sorted somewhere even better, but he didn't appreciate it when he could, and now the entire house hated him... but that's a different story. With Jon, however, it was not going to be that easy. Neither him nor Robb or even his father had the slightest idea where he might get sorted to. The only house he could've ruled out was Slytherin, and even that wasn't given. Frankly, Jon was a particularly weird amalgamation of different house traits: courage, kindness, but also intelligence and individuality. It was hard to predict where he might end up. Supposedly, Arya and Sansa have even made a bet on it. Arya was sure Jon was going to get into Gryffindor, while Sansa felt the same way about Ravenclaw. That was going to be a tough choice for the Sorting Hat.

  * Well – Robb began – when you cross the Great Lake, a teacher will pick you up, probably professor Baelish-

  * The slimy one? - Jon asked.

  * Yes, the slimy one.




One more person who Robb simply couldn't wait to see this year.

  * So – he continued – the slimy one will take you from there and lead you to the Great Hall, where everyone will already be waiting for you. In the middle of the hall, there will be a tiny stool with an old hat on it. That's the Sorting Hat. The teacher will call you one by one, you'll have to take a sit on the stool. He'll put the hat on your head, and then you will hear a quiet voice inside of your head, analizing which house should you belong to. In the end, it will say its name out loud, so that everyone can hear it.

  * Sounds like a lot of people will be watching.

  * Yeah, quite a bit – Robb replied, before asking – Are you afraid?

  * I'm not afraid – Jon snapped back. - It's just that...

  * What?

  * What if it picks the bad one?

  * Jon – Robb said, looking into his brother's dark eyes – there is no such thing as a bad house. I get where you're coming from. I have thought the same when I first got here, but I was wrong. Every house has its good sides. I mean, look at Hufflepuff. I hated it at first. I thought that the only people who get accepted there were losers and rejects from other houses, but later I found out that they are some of the best people I've ever met. You can always count on a Hufflepuff.




Well, unless that Hufflepuff we're talking about is Robb. Then you definitely shouldn't count on him and not believe a single word he says... it's been a rough summer for the boy's self-esteem issues.

  * Then we have Gryffindor, probably the most popular of the houses. One thing I can say about Gryffindor is that they really are courageous, whether it's for the good or bad. The people seem nice, though. I'm sure you'd feel great in there too. There are also Ravenclaws, who have actually won the House Cup last year. They tend to be a bit less outgoing than the others, but they are incredibly creative and have a lot of knowledge. You surely wouldn't get bored there. Even Slytherin, which I've always thought of as the evil one, has some great people.

  * Like?




Robb opened his mouth to say _“Theon”_ , but that's when he realized that he would just get back onto the topic they were trying to avoid. Besides, he wasn't sure what to think of the boy anyway. Maybe he was wrong about them being best friends forever? Maybe two months were enough to put end to their relationship?

  * Um... never mind. What I wanted to say was, that wherever you get sorted to, I'm sure you will feel right at home.

  * Are you sure? - Jon asked hopefully.

  * I am – Robb replied, sending his younger brother a warm smile. - Don't make my mistakes, please.




Jon chuckled slightly hearing that, because it surely must've been funny to him. He was clever. Actually, maybe it was Jon who should've been the older one? Maybe with a brother like this, Robb wouldn't end up half as bad as he did?

Time passed by slowly and the sun was rising higher and higher on the horizon, signalizing the upcoming noon. This definitely wasn't as fun as Robb's first ride to Hogwarts was. Of course, he had Jon with him, which could have never been too bad, but none of them seemed to be in the mood for talking. The younger boy was a puddle of nerves today, so most of the road he spent locked between the four walls of his own imagination, most likely going through a list of every single thing which could go wrong during the Sorting Ceremony. Meanwhile Robb, also in a quiet mood, laid down on the seats, which technically should've been occupied by at least two people, constantly looking in the direction of the entrance to their compartment. He tried to think of anything else, but he just couldn't. He couldn't help but keep on wondering _“Theon, where the heck are you?”_ The school year hasn't even started properly yet and he was already worrying that he might've lost his best friends again. He was supposed to add people to the list, not subtract them from it. He has already lost Torrhen, Wendel, Bethany and Talisa. He couldn't allow himself to loose Theon too. He had to do something. He had to talk to him, wherever he was.

  * Excuse me, Jon – he said, getting up from his seat. - I have to go stretch my legs. I can't just keep on sitting like that anymore.




Of course, the reason of his departure was slightly different, but it's not like his brother suspected he's desperate enough to do that. Judging by the look on Jon's face, he thought of Robb leaving him alone has definitely freaked him out.

  * Wait, what about me?

  * I'll be back in a moment – Robb replied. - Just wait here.

  * But... – Jon started, not sure how to phrase his thoughts – but what if someone comes inside?

  * No one will come inside. By now everyone has surely found their seats, and if someone does come, then maybe it's a good opportunity to get to know someone else. After all, sooner or later you'll have to talk to you classmates.




Jon didn't seem too convinced by his older brother's words, but eventually he nodded his head in agreement.

  * Great – Robb said – I'll be back soon.



  * Tell Theon I said hi – Jon added, just as the Hufflepuff was about to leave.

  * I will – the Hufflepuff replied, slightly embarassed by his own predictability, before closing the door behind him.




As Robb stepped outside his compartment, he took a look around the passageway. Okay, so he was currently in the first carriage. One of total eight of them, each divided into eight compartments. His best friend just had to be somewhere in there. Of course, he'd rather Theon has just found him himself, since crossing the entire train carried the risk of bumping into one of his ex-friends or, an even worse option, Ramsay. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. Robb really hoped that Jon wouldn't hold a grudge against him, because he left him on his own. Maybe it was good for him, though? Jon could really use some company, and Robb wasn't going to be around him twenty-four hours a day as he did before. Of course, he would try to meet his younger brother as often as he could, but he really needed to open up to some new people. Maybe, in the time it takes for Robb to find Theon, someone would come inside and Jon would become friends with him. He may have been rather shy, just like his older brother, but once you got to know him well enough, he truly was a great person. Robb didn't know why Jon was always acting so restrained around other people. Everyone would love to have a friend like Jon... probably way more than a friend like his brother.

As Robb peered out through the window of the first compartment, he didn't notice anyone he knew. Just a bunch of first-years. He didn't know them, but they seemed to be having a great time with each other. Just as Robb did back in his first year with Theon. Back when the biggest problem seemed to be whether he gets into Gryffindor or not. Good times. Robb sighed deeply and looked into the second compartment. Again, there was no sign of Theon inside. The only people who occupied the compartment were the Martell girls, and Robb knew better than getting in their way. None of them was particularly peaceful. The third one didn't bring any new revelation either. This compartment has already been solely occupied by Viserys Targaryen. What a surprise! Seeing as the first carriage might be completely Theon-less, he opened the door to second one, yet just as he was about to peer into the first window, he heard one of the compartments opening. As he turned around, he realized he was standing face to face with no one else but Talisa Maegyr. What a luck. What a fucking curse.

Talisa didn't change that much since last year. Her skin seemed slightly darker than before, but that may have been caused by spending summer holiday in a warm country. Besides that, she looked more or less the same. Big brown eyes, long dark hair tied into a tidy braid, seemingly way more mature than an usual twelve-year old and very, very pretty. Maybe that's the reason why Robb, realizing who's standing in front of him, immediately went beetroot red all over his face and ran away into the closest compartment, just to escape from her sight. Yeah, that wasn't very subtle of him, but sutlety has never been amongst his best qualities. At least now he didn't have to watch the disappointed expression on her face any longer. However, it took Robb a moment to realize that he may have just gotten into even bigger trouble. After all, the compartment he just jumped into wasn't empty. Luckily, instead of anything else, the first thing he's hear was a familiar voice coming from behind him.

  * Well, nice to see you too, Robb.




As the boy turned around, he noticed no one else but Loras Tyrell, his older housemate and one of few people who didn't despise him... at least yet. He, however, did change slightly over the summer. His round face seemed to have gained some edges to it, making the boy seem slightly older, plus he was way taller than he was last year. The difference between them probably wasn't this big, but from Robb's perspective it seemed like Loras might easily tower over him. What was more surprising, though, was that he wasn't alone.

On the opposite side of the compartment sat a girl, who Robb has definitely not seen at school yet. Even if he didn't know them personally, he could recognize almost everyone at school by their looks, especially amongst his year. This girl, however, was definitely a new sight for him. First of all, she was pretty... well, maybe not Talisa-level pretty, but still really pretty. She had a tiny heart-shaped face and eyes in the light shade of blue. Her long, wavy, hazelnut-coloured hair fell down on her shoulders like a cascade of water. What was the most interesting about her was definitely her smile, which seemed to be a bit crooked to the side, which was actually kind of cute if you asked Robb. He wasn't sure who she was, but, judging by her light hair color and the confident aura she shed, she must've been a relative of Loras.

  * Sorry – Robb replied, taking a discreet glance in direction of the girl – didn't see you there.

  * Who were you running from? - he asked with a smirk. - Maegyr?




Robb just nodded his head shyly, embarrassed by transparency of the situation.

  * Knew it – Loras replied, prompting a shy chuckle from the girl next to him.




The Stark boy looked at her in confusion. Who was this girl? And did she know of him? Judging by her reaction, she must've heard about him already. What if she wasn't a first year? Maybe she attended Hogwarts last year, but Robb simply doesn't remember her? On the other hand, he knew everyone from his year, and the girl surely wasn't older than twelve. Seeing the confusion on his face, Loras decided to become helpful for once and introduce them to each other.

  * I don't think you've met yet – he said, before gesturing at the girl. - Robb, that's Margaery, my younger sister. Marge, that's Robb. You know, the one I've told you about.

  * Oh – the girl smiled brightly hearing that – so you're Robb. I've heard some stories about you.




The boy just nodded his head and smiled back shyly. Normally, he'd be over the moon to hear that one of his friends decided to waste his time to tell their family about him, but somehow he felt like what Loras told her sister didn't put him in a good position, so this time he just smiled in response.

  * I'm sorry about what happened last year – she continued. - Loras told me. Whoever this whole Ramsay guy is, he shouldn't have done that.

  * Well, he shouldn't – Robb replied hesitantly – but I shouldn't have lied to my parents, so he's not the one to blame here.

  * I see... - she said, narrowing her eyes observantly.




The look she gave Robb has sent shivers down his spine (rightfully so), so he has decided to change the topic as quickly as he could.

  * So – he started – it's your first years at Hogwarts? Which house would you like to get sorted into.




Hearing the question, Margaery relaxed her expression and smiled warmly, which somehow was enough to make Robb feel even more uncomfortable around her.

  * Oh, that's a very interesting question – she replied, with an excited spark in her blue eyes. - I've actually thought about it back home, and I think that the house I'd like to be in the most is-

  * She's surely a Ravenclaw – her brother cut in suddenly, earning a glare from the girl. - What? You're smart. Our mom was a Ravenclaw and so was grandma Olenna. I can see you there.

  * I can speak for myself, Loras – she snapped, before turning back to Robb. – So, just as my beloved brother said, I've considered Ravenclaw, but eventually I've decided that the house I'd like to be sorted to the most is Slytherin.

  * Slytherin? - the boy asked surprised.

  * I know – Loras replied. - I was shocked when I've heard that too. Don't worry, I don't think there ever was a single Slytherin in our family.

  * I don't know why are you so surprised - Margaery said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. - Renly is a Slytherin and yet you don't have anything against him.

  * I-I didn't mean to offend you – Robb stuttered out.




Despite being a year older than the girl, he has definitely felt some respect towards her. She seemed to be really clever for such a young girl. Surely she was taking after her grandmother.

  * Actually, I have a friend in Slytherin, too – he added.

  * You mean that skinny blonde kid you've been flirting with since last year? - Loras asked with a smirk. - I've actually seen him and his sister few minutes ago on my way from Renly's carriage. I was surprised you weren't with them.

  * Wait, they're in the same carriage?

  * Yeah – the blond said, rasing an eyebrow at the question – right next to the door on the left. Why?




As he asked him that, Robb was already halfway on his way out the door, but having realized it would be rather rude of him to leave like that with no goodbyes, he stepped back and turned around to face the older boy.

  * I'm really sorry, Loras – he said – but I need to speak to him immediately. I'll see you later in the common room. Oh, and Margaery? It was nice to meet you.

  * Pleasure's all mine, Robb Stark – she said with a tiny smirk, which would've probably sent him blushing if it wasn't for the fact that he left right afterwards, headed straight towards Theon's compartment.




For a moment he forgot that any moment one of his ex-friends could've stepped outside into the passageway, leading to yet another awkward meeting. It was bound to happen someday anyway. Better sooner than later. Even if Ramsay himself was sitting in the same carriage, he wouldn't care. All that he cared about right now was Theon finally telling him the truth. Why didn't he write a single letter to him the entire holiday? Did he hate him? And if he did, why?

As Robb reached the last compartment he was one hundred percent ready to go inside and finally face iff with Theon. His hand was already placed on the door handle, ready to pull it. There was nothing stopping him from doing that. He was finally going to find out what happened... but that's when the doubts have kicked in. What if he didn't want to hear the answer? What if it was only going to hurt him even more? After all, what could Theon possibly say to him? _“I'm sorry, I simply didn't notice the pile of letters laying at my doorstep.”_ No, it was not easy like that. It must've been something way more serious like Theon holding a grudge against him or learning of something that made him want to stop being friends with him or... what if he was back to being friends with Ramsay? What if he's inside the compartment with him? What if Ramsay has written a letter to Theon earlier than Robb and he decided that he'd be a better friend than him? No, that couldn't have been right. Theon hated Ramsay after what he did to Robb last year... or at least he thought so.

It took him some time to find the courage to actually open the door. After all, if his suspicions were right, it all could've been one great prank courtesy of Ramsay and Theon. He did trust him and he was his best friend, but it was hard to blame Robb for having such doubts after spending the entire summer not having heard from the boy even once. The brown-haired boy inhaled deeply few times, trying to calm himself down, curled up his hand into a fist and swung the compartment door open with all the force, not ready for what's inside. And what was inside was... definitely not as exciting as he thought it might be.

  * Hey there, Stark – Yara Greyjoy said calmly, laying down across the seats of an empty compartment filled with nothing but bags and suitcases. - I thought you'd never come.




Yeah, that definitely wasn't an option he would've thought of before opening the door. Well, to be honest, all of his predictions assumed that Theon would be inside the compartment. Where could he possibly be?

  * Robb?




Never mind. As Robb turned around, he found himself looking straight into Theon's silver-blue eyes. As always, a moment of uncomfortable silence followed right afterwards, but, apparently, this was only the beginning of a very awkward situation. Robb was for sure going to start his second year at Hogwarts with a kick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, people of AO3! I'm back... not sure if anyone cares, but I am.
> 
> So, while technically I did make it before August was over, I hoped to post the fic at least a week earlier (I had a race with Ariana Grande to see who can put out new material quicker, and safe to say girl has beaten me and stolen my wig as a trophy.) I had a bit of a problem writing a few chapters, especially chapter 20. Chapter 20 was a bitch. In fact, there's still at least about eight pages I have yet to write. Still, here it is! The second part of my mildly popular, highly messy saga “The Robb Stark Chronicles” - Between the Bludgers.
> 
> Robb is back for his second year at Hogwarts and things are about to go down. After all, he hasn't exactly managed to garner much sympathy from his housemates after the events of last year. Now, not only does he have to face Ramsay's bullying, aunt Lysa's constant attacks and awkward moments with professor Baelish, but also the wrath of his friends. To make things worse, Theon seems to have disappeared from the surface of Earth. What has he been up to this entire summer? Will Robb manage to get his friends' trust back and prove everyone that he is, indeed, a true Hufflepuff?... also, Jon and Margaery are here! Yay!
> 
> I'll try my best to post a new chapter every week. If I can't make it, I will inform you in the previous update. If you like it, then you know what to do. Also, sorry if there are any grammatical errors. Overall, I'm pretty good at English, but only today did I realize how to spell "beetroot", so I may not exactly be an expert when it comes to the language. Thank you for reading, see y'all next week! ;*


	2. My Best Friend

While there were many things that have changed since the day Robb first arrived at King's Cross Station, Theon was not one of them. In the looks department, the boy has remained more or less the same. First of all, he was still as skinny as he was before, if not even skinnier. Robb wasn't anywhere near chubby or fat, but next to his friends, he seemed to be almost twice his size, even if there wasn't a large difference in height between them. The boy's dark blonde hair were as messy as always. In fact, it was highly possible that Theon may have not seen a comb or a hairbrush his entire life. However, the one thing which has always caught Robb's attention when looking at the Slytherin were his eyes. While it was basically impossible to find a person with ugly eyes, his have always been the ones which stood out from everyone else's. They just had such a weird, deep color that Robb couldn't really described with any words. Well, technically they were blue, and aanyone else would've surely described them as such. Robb, however, knew that calling Theon's eyes blue was by far an understatement. Their color was a weird combination of blue, silver and tealish green, which has always fascinated him. Was it weird for him to have such deep reflections over his best friend's eyes? Probably not.

Anyway, there he was. Standing in the middle of the carriage, face to face with Theon Greyjoy. That was the moment Robb has been waiting for nearly the entire summer holiday. After full two months of not having heard a word from his best friend, he was finally going to find out what was the reason behind it. Was he nervous? Actually, he was. Part of him was scared that this might very well mean the end of their tumultuous friendship. On the other hand, he couldn't deny the insescapable urge to get to know the truth. All it took was just one question. Still, it was a highly uncomfortable situation that he was placed in, where the way he asked the question could've decided on how the entire conversation was going to unfold. First of all, he had no idea when should he come forward with the question. Should he just ask him now, not wasting any time on the pleasantries, or wait a minute, just to see if it comes up naturally? Another problem was which tone should he choose to say it. Should he be cold and harsh towards Theon, to show him that the playtime was over? Or maybe he should just open up in front of him and tell him how much it hurt him not to hear from his best friend in two months? There were a lot of decisions to be made in just a few seconds, and Robb simply couldn't make the choice that fast. Luckily, the silence didn't last any longer as that's when Theon opened his mouth to speak.

  * What are you doing in here? - he asked, his voice not revealing any particular emotions.

  * I-I just wanted to see you – Robb managed to stammer out.




For a while he was afraid he might have said something stupid, going by Theon's judging expression, but just as he was about to make a quick escape to spare himself the further embarrassment, the boy smiled in response.

  * You haven't changed at all – he said, and then proceeded to wrap his arms around Robb's back, pulling the boy into a tight hug.




It felt weird. Not that Robb didn't enjoy being hugged. In fact, it was usually him that was all touchy-feely with everyone. Not Theon. Theon was usually the one to roll his eyes and reluctantly accept his fate. Right now, however, these were his arms that were wrapped around the Hufflepuff. Not the other way around. Robb knew very well that the Slytherin was rather reserved in his interactions with other people, and a gesture like this would've meant that he considered the two of them to be rather close. That might've ruled out the option in which his two-month silence was caused by a sudden, newfound dislike for the boy. He surely must've still felt somewhat warm towards him. However, if Theon did still like him, then why didn't Robb receive a single letter from him the entire summer holiday? What was going on?

After few seconds, the Slytherin let go, only for the boys to be met with a loud applause courtesy of Yara Greyjoy.

  * Beautiful, boys! – she smirked in a malicious way. - That was truly touching. I almost shed a tear.




That said, she barked with laughter, to which Theon replied by sending a glare towards his older sister. It was highly possible that Robb has never met another person with such sarcastic and cynical sense of humor, and mind you, he was a Hogwarts student.

  * What? I was being nice – she shrugged her shoulders, and took a look towards the Hufflepuff. - He has never hugged me like that. Just saying.

  * Yara, stop! - Theon snapped, but his sister only smiled back and stuck out her tongue at him.




The boy seemed to be rather embarassed with the situation, avoiding his best friend's gaze and biting on his lower lip. Robb couldn't help but find the sight absolutely hilarious. Theon Greyjoy, _this_ Theon Greyjoy, getting embarrassed by his sister right in front to him. For a moment, he even forgot what he came here to do in the first place.

  * What was I... - Theon started, distracted by Yara's words – oh, right, do you want to come inside? Honestly, it was pretty boring here without you.

  * Um... actually – Robb replied hesitantly – I'm already sharing a compartment with Jon.

  * Oh, your brother. Right?

  * Yeah – he nodded his head. - Actually, I've promised him that I would be back by now, so I was wondering if maybe you would like to join us?




Theon narrowed his eyes for few seconds in a moment of consideration, each one of them lasting about an hour to Robb, but eventually he smiled and nodded his head.

  * Sure, why not?

  * Wait, really? - the brown-haired boy asked reassuringly.

  * Well, yeah... I don't know why are you so surprised. We are friends, after all. Besides, I'd like to finally meet the guy you've been telling me about for seven months straight.




Nine. Nine months. He's been telling him about Jon for nine months straight, and he would've known that if he had opened at least one of his letters. Yes, Robb was upset, maybe even mad at Theon, but it was all because of how much he liked him. He was his best friend, and obviously he didn't want to lose him. Not because he would be left alone at school then, but because he truly liked him. He wanted to spend as much free time with him as he could, whether it was after the lessons or during the summer break. That's why he was so upset over this whole letter thing. He really hoped that his friendship with Theon would stand the test of time and not fade away like every other relation he's ever had with someone besides his family. How were they possibly going to be best friends if he didn't even want to spend a minute replying to the letters Robb has sent him? He didn't want to end whatever it was between the two of them, but he didn't want to become a nuisance to him either. That's not how healthy friendships looked like.

For now, though, it all seemed to be going surprisingly well. Maybe even too well? So far,

none of them have made the decision to address the obvious elephant in the room, going for the casual friendly behaviour instead. Even more so, Theon seemed to be blissfully unaware of any negative tension between them. It was Robb who was all nervous about the two of them meeting again. Theon didn't seem to behave in any unusual way. Minus the hug, the thought of which for some reason still could not leave Robb's mind, everything seemed to be completely normal with him. He was just as happy and cheerful as he usually was around him. Not a single sign of worry. Did he really not understand why what he did might've upset Robb, or was he just trying do pretend he didn't?

What if he got him completely wrong? Maybe Theon wasn't searching for a best friend? Maybe Robb has just forced his way into his life, and Theon was polite enough not to kick him out of it? Maybe now that Ramsay and the rest was gone, he was just a mean of Theon's survival at school? No, that was not the truth. How could he even think so? Theon wasn't like that. He truly liked him. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have been so happy too see him again, and he definitely wouldn't have hugged him like that. After all, Theon wasn't the kind of boy who just wraps himself around everybody for no reason whatsoever. He really liked him... but then again, if he _did_ like him, then why didn't he reply to at least one of his letters? It really wouldn't take longer than a couple of minutes. It wasn't that hard, Theon!

  * Robb, are you okay? - Theon asked suddenly, seeing his friend got lost in his thoughts again.




It's been happening to him a lot recently.

  * Yeah, I'm fine – the brown-haired boy replied, smiling shyly.

  * Shall we go then?

  * Sure.




Theon smiled warmly and turned back towards the compartment to face his sister, who has been carefully watching everything that was going on with a mysterious smile on her face.

  * Yara, I'm going to-

  * No problem – she cut in. - Go ahead and leave your beloved sister for a pretty boy. That's so typical of you, loser.




It would be tough to say which one of them has gotten more red over the girl's statement. While Theon was to busy trying to murder his sister with his eyes, Robb started thinking. It was the second time this day he has heard something like that. First from Loras, and now from Yara. He let the first comment slide, since it clearly was a joke, and he was far more concerned with Theon's whereabouts, but now he was just confused. Why would people even think so? They were close, but not _that_ close. It's not like they've been doing some couple-y things like holding hands or cuddling... okay, maybe they have hugged a few times, but they were not cuddling. Plus, these were all very emotional moments. If any of his other friends were there, then he would've hugged them too. It was not his fault that sometimes he just needed a good hug.

  * Okay, let's go – Theon declared with a serious expression. – Let's leave my evil sister alone.

  * Nice to see you again, Stark – she said as both of them were heading off.




There was a moment of silence before any of them has even attempted to continue the conversation, most likely helped by Yara's wisecracking. Thanks, girl! Almost as if it wasn't awkward enough! However, after a while, Robb has decided that maybe having a small talk would be a way more pleasant option than that.

  * So, how was your summer holiday?

  * Quite okay – the Slytherin replied with a hint of displeasure in his voice.




Robb knew of Theon's tough situation already. The Greyjoy family wasn't very rich, if not downright poor, plus the relationship between the boy and his father seemed to be rather strained. They didn't like each other that much. Despite knowing how awful it felt for the other person to be pitied, Robb couldn't help but feel bad for Theon. He couldn't imagine what his life would look like without his dad around him. Despite all of his insecurities and problems, he felt nothing but pure admiration towards the man. With Theon it was a bit different. In no way did he feel the same about his father as Robb did about his. To a person who could've always counted on his family, it was really hard to comprehend. They were a family. They should be there for each other. They shouldn't be fighting. Besides, Theon was great. There was no need for his father to treat him the way he did. Robb's father, Eddard Stark, would never act like that towards his son, but apparently that wasn't the case with every family.

  * How about you? - Theon asked in response. - How was your summer holiday like?

  * Quite sad, actually – Robb said, resulting in a concerned expression from the other boy.

  * Why?

  * I don't really know, but the fact that my best friend didn't even bother to reply to at least one of the letters I've sent him might've something to do with it – that said, he shot Theon a meaningful look, his arms crossed on the chest in a defensive maneer.

  * Oh...




That was all that could leave Theon's mouth. He knew he was in trouble. Robb could see it on his face. He felt guilty. He must've reminded himself of every single time when a particularly annoying owl has left a letter by his doorstep, and he ignored it, knowing very well that his friend was waiting for an answer. But why? Why did he do that? And, the bigger question, did Robb really want to know why?

  * Robb, I-

  * Save it, Theon – the boy cut in, as he opened the door to the other carriage.




It was rather funny. For nearly two months he has been sickly worried over what answer he'll hear from his friend, but now that he was going to get it, he didn't even bother to listen to him. Why? Because he knew exactly what he was going to say to him. _“Robb, I'm sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have done that. I even wanted to reply, but... then I just didn't. Forgive me.”_ If there was one thing Robb knew about, it was when people were trying to avoid him. After having spent a few years in the primary school, he could write a whole doctoral thesis about it. Eventually he learned how to get used to it, but this time around it hurt him even more than usual, because the person who was trying to avoid him was his best friend. That's right. He was so annoying that even his best friend couldn't stand him any longer, and the worst part was that he couldn't even do anything about it. He couldn't stop liking Theon to make himself feel better. He wished it could be that easy.

  * Are you mad at me? - the Slytherin asked, surprisingly concerned about the situation.



  * No Theon – Robb replied. - I'm not mad. A bit disappointed? Maybe, but not mad. I just thought that we were supposed to be friends.

  * We are friends!




Robb looked at Theon with sadness in his eyes, clearly hurt with the way the boy has handled things. The weird thing was that he seemed to be genuine about his guilt. A person who couldn't stand him anymore wouldn't act like that... but also, a person who would like to continue his friendship would've sent him at least one letter during the summer holiday. There still was a lot of warmth left on both sides, yet something didn't quite add up.

  * Friends are supposed to be there for each other, Theon – Robb said, trying to hide the sadness in his voice. - The compartment is over there. Let's go.




That said, he turned around and entered the carriage with the Slytherin following him hesitantly. The situation was rather uncomfortable for both of the boys. While Robb was fighting the inner urge to grab his friend by the collar and just yell in his face until he feels any better, Theon was trying his best to keep a brave face, despite the insufferable feeling of guilt. Technically speaking, they were still friends. None of them could deny that they were rather fond of each other, but it clearly was not the way it used to be before.

As Robb opened the door to his compartment, Jon jumped out of his seat almost immediately, clearly having been reduced into a bundle of nerves by now. Seriously, if there was one person more socially awkward that Robb, it was his brother. The place seemed just as empty as it was when the Hufflepuff left to search for Theon, meaning that no one has used the opportunity to get to know Jon a bit better.

  * Where have you been? - the dark-haired boy asked worriedly. - You said that you would be back in a-




He stopped there, only now having noticed that Robb wasn't the only other person present in the compartment. Jon has always been rather shy around strangers, so when he noticed the skinny Slytherin entert right behind his friend, he immediately shrunk himself and lowered his head, so that his face was covered by a protectove cascade of black curls. He turned his gaze towards his older brother and gave him a discreet look, almost as if he wanted to ask him: _“Who is this guy?”_

  * Theon – Robb said – this is my younger brother, Jon. Jon, this is Theon... my best friend.




The last words he said with a bitter, albeit an honest smile. Theon returned the favour awkwardly, and reached out his his arms to greet the younger boy.

  * Nice to meet you – he said, to which Jon smiled shyly and nodded his head.

  * So – the boy's older brother started – I take it as that you'll be joining us for the rest of the road, right?



  * Of course – Theon replied, looking Robb straight in the eyes. - Why wouldn't I?




They've stared at each other like that for few seconds, before both have gotten enough of the awkwardness and turned their eyes towards the ground. Never before has Robb wondered if he could hug someone and hit him at the same time. He wanted nothing more than punch Theon right in his stupid face as a payback for playing with his feelings all summer long, yet he couldn't quite get enough of that derpy, guilty smile of his. One thing was for sure. Theon did not hate him. However, that did not change the fact that he hurt Robb by not replying to his letters. Why would he do such thing if he liked him? It was all starting to seem way more complicated that just a simple _“I just didn't.”_ Maybe he really should've let Theon speak when he wanted to?

The next seven hours on the road have surely been way more pleasant than the first half-an-hour in the Hogwarts Express. One thing did not change through the summer. Theon was still a great road trip partner. No matter what happened between him and Robb, he could always put the other boy in a good mood. For nearly the entire time on the road, they did not stop chatting with each other, and once again the candy trolley has found the number of its supplies decimated by them. Even Jon, who would usually stay completely quiet around newly met people, has paid attention to what the other boys were talking about and even snickered at few of Theon's awful jokes. They did have a brief discussion on which of the houses would fit Jon the most, but eventually they've settled on Hufflepuff... or Gryffindor? Slytherin? Ravenclaw? Okay, after a while they just gave up. Jon fitted everywhere. The Sorting Hat was surely going to burst in flames when it gets put on his head.

For a random bystander, everything would've seemed just fine. Just three boys sitting together, spending the ride in a pleasant way and having fun. However, if one took a closer look, though, they would notice that something about this idyllic view didn't seem right. There was a lot of tension in the compartment, and each one of them could feel it. Even Jon, who didn't know the whole story, would shoot Robb concerned looks, aware of awkward situation. Robb would nod his head slightly and smile, almost as if he wanted to say _“It's fine, really”_ even though it clearly was not. Theon, on the other hand, would try to avoid the boy's gaze in the break between the Stark family stories and few very bad jokes, and if he didn't, it would always be the same look. Big eyes. Lips clenched tightly. Innocent expression. He was clearly trying to pull the old “puppy eyes” trick on him. However, as Robb has already mastered the trick on his own, he was not going to fall for this... or maybe he was. There was something about the way he looked at him that made him want to forgive every single thing Theon has ever done and- MAN UP, LOSER! Anyways, the road to Hogwarts, while rather awkward, wasn't even halfway as bad as Robb would've expected it to be.

After few hours on the road, a slight change in the train's speed could've been felt, which signalized the growing proximity of the Hogsmeade train station. Only a few minutes have separated Robb from officially starting his second year at Hogwarts now. It was a weird feeling, a positive and a negative one at the same time. He himself couldn't tell if he was happy about having to return to the castle. He did kind of miss the magic lessons throughout the summer, but could he really enjoy them while still being school's biggest public enemy at the moment?

Once the boys have got out of the train, as per usual, not much could be seen. The only lantern nearby didn't guarantee enough light to embrace the stupifying amount of students present at the station. It was relatively easy to get lost in the crowd. Robb tried to keep as close to Jon as possible, not to lose track of his whereabouts. It would be a rather unsatisfying beginning of the year, to find out that his younger brother got trampled over in a stampede of seventh-year students. Theon stood right beside them, also not too pleased by that perspective. However, soon the crowd seemed to be growing thinner, as few of the tinier ones have gone missing. On the other side of the station, as he did last year, stood Hodor – the gamekeeper, holding a “FIRST YEARS” sign in his hands.

  * Hodor! - he called loudly, garnering attention of the younger ones.

  * You should go there – Robb said, nudging his brother lightly.

  * Can't I go with you guys? - Jon asked worriedly.

  * Come on, Jon. It will be fine. Maybe you'll meet someone new there?

  * That's what I'm worried about – he said with a serious expression, which didn't leave Robb much choice, but to start laughing. - Where are we going?

  * There's nothing you should be worried about – the older brother reassured. - You're going to cross the Great Lake by boat and then you'll be at Hogwarts.



  * Are you sure it's safe?

  * Of course – Theon added, out of nowhere – there's nothing scary about it. Just a bloodthirsty selkie colony and a gigantic squid. What is there to worry about?




Hearing that Robb turned around and nudged Theon, way harder than he did with his brother, right in the gut, resulting in a stifled yelp. For a moment he really considered telling Jon about how afraid the Slytherin was the first time they've crossed the lake, but due to time restraints, he has decided to put it away for another occasion.

  * Don't listen to that jerk. You'll be fine.




Slightly encouraged by his brother, the boy nodded his head eventually and headed off to join rest of the newbies.

  * See you in the Great Hall! - Robb yelled out.

  * Don't get killed! - Theon followed, resulting in another jab in the stomach. - Stop it!




Robb just shook his head in disbelief and headed off, following rest of the students.

Only the first-years had the opportunity to be able to cross the Great Lake, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful locations on the schoolgrounds. Rest of the older students, however, was supposed to reach the school in carriages located nearby. What was the most surprising about that means of transport was the fact that nothing seemed to be pulling them. They were completely self-driven. Both Robb and Theon looked in surprise as the carriage, with few sixth year students loaded onto it, passed them and headed off towards the castle.

  * How cool is this! - the blond remarked excitedly, grabbing his friend's wrist. - I'm taking the front seat!




That said he ran off towards the nearest carriage, pulling Robb right behind him. However, seeing that everything was going way too smoothly by now, sadly it turned out that the one Theon has chosen was occupied already... of course, by no one else but Ramsay and his gang of Slytherins. Yay! From the very first spark inside of the boy's ice cold eyes Robb knew that no hatchets have been buried over the summer. After what happened last year, he wasn't sure if he would be able to accept a truce between them, but a silent contempt would've been a good option for both of them. After all, Robb didn't need any more problems this year, and Ramsay surely was a huge one for him. If there was any single factor which caused his last school year to become a disaster (besides the obvious one of him being stupid), it was him. The worst things about their conflict was that there wasn't even any significant reason behind Ramsay doing that. He has just simply decided that it would be cool to ruin the boy's life. During his rather short life, Robb has had the chance to meet many unpleasant people, but Ramsay was easily one of the worst ones in existence, tied only by headmistress Arryn and her uncontrollable anger outbursts. He didn't want to admit it, since he was a rather peaceful person and he wanted to be friends with everyone around him, but he hated that guy. Every single time he saw him, he wanted nothing more than to kick his butt for everything that he's done to him and his friends last year. He may have been an idiot not to tell his parents the truth about being a Hufflepuff, but having to deal with Ramsay Bolton was surely a disproportionate retribution for him.

Having realized what situation has he accidentally put both of them in, Theon wanted to move forwards to another carriage, tightening his grip around Robb's wrist and pulling him besides him. Sadly, neither Ramsay nor his friends were going to let an occasion like this simply slip away.

  * Guys – Locke began in an obnoxiously loud tone, guaranteed to attract attention of anyone around him – look who it is! Isn't it our favourite little Gryffindor and his traitor friend?! Theon Turncloak?!

  * It sure is – Ramsay said, not even hiding his satisfaction.

  * The skinny one's even uglier this year, isn't he? - Myranda asked with a smug grin on her face.

  * It's not his fault, though – Locke replied. - I bet his father didn't gave him anything for the entire two months again.

  * What is it, Greyjoy? - the dark-haired boy asked malevolently. - Daddy doesn't love you anymore?




By observing Theon's body language, Robb could guess that his next move was going to be to jump inside of the carriage and beat Ramsay senselessly into a bloody pulp. As much as he would enjoyed to see something like that happen in real life, he also had to consider that even the tinies amount of bloodshed was surely going to get both of them kicked out of school. That's why, instead of watching as Theon scratches Ramsay's eyes out (again, a very pleasant thought), he grabbed the boy by the shoulder and led him as far away from the evil Slytherins as possible.

  * Don't listen to them – he said quietly, tightening the grip around his friend. - They're just assholes.

  * As for you, Stark – Ramsay yelled out once more – let's just say that if I was you, I'd keep my eyes wide open all the time! It's going to be one hell of a year for you! I promise!




For a split second Robb considered letting Theon go back to the carriage and strangle that jerk, but having realized how selfish it would be of him, he didn't do it. Luckily, the next carriage was practically empty, besides few older Ravenclaw girls. What Robb liked the most about member of that house is how indifferent most of them was to the rumours flying around the school. It was probably due to their reputation as the “House of Freaks”, whether you'd understand it in a positive or negative way. They weren't as judging as Slytherins or Gryffindors. Well, neither were Hufflepuffs, but even they had their limits, as Robb has found out on his own skin. Of course, there came a curious glance of one or two of them, because going to Hogwarts last year, it was hard to avoid hearing the story of the boy who betrayed his house. Luckily, that was it, as the girls have returned to the conversation they were having before, and haven't paid much attention to the boys since. Soon the carriage began to move and followed the other ones towards the castle.

For most of the road, the boys have kept quiet, still upset over their meeting with Ramsay. Clearly, that wasn't the way any of them have wanted to start the new year. However, Theon seemed to be hit way harder by the Slytherin's remarks. While Robb was nowhere near calm about what Ramsay has said to him, it was nothing compared to the devastating feeling of anger and sadness which was painted all over the boy's face. He really felt bad for him. After all, with him, they were just empty threats. Chewing Theon out on his family problems was not only unnecessary but also downright cruel. No one should be treated this way, whether one thinks the person deserved it or not.

  * Did you tell Ramsay-

  * No – Theon replied, cutting Robb's question short.




There was another moment of silence before the boy continued.

  * Theon, you know that it wasn't me who told him that. Right?




Despite the words different intent, a slight smile has somehow appeared on Theon's face, lightening up his face a bit. Robb didn't understand what was so funny about what he just said, but he was glad it has somehow helped the boy.

  * Of course I know – the blonde-haired boy said, even managing a slight chuckle. - Only an asshole would do something like that to a friend.




That said he smiled knowingly, causing Robb to roll his eyes and return the favour. They might have been over the entire last-year drama, but he still didn't like being reminded of it. Still, the mention of that disastrous event has managed to clean the atmosphere between the boys a bit. They sat like that for few seconds, looking and each other and smiling, before Theon turned his gaze and changed his expression to a more aggressive one.

  * If he ever does anything to you, I will murder him – he growled, clenching his fists as a sign of readiness.

  * Same here – Robb said in a lighter, but still convincing tone.




Theon looked up at him from the floor of the carriage and shot him one more smile, before he turned away and took a look around the surroundings. In the distance Robb could notice a tiny set of lights floating in the mid-air, which, after a closer inspection, have turned out to be windows of the castle. Hogwarts was ready to welcome him into his second year of studying. Who knows? Maybe that year wouldn't be so bad at all? In the end, he had Theon; he had Jon, even Loras. He was not alone, and surely he wasn't going to be anytime soon, as long as he had his best friend by his side. No Ramsay Bolton was going to make a fool out of him this time. This year was going to be his year.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm not going to reveal what happened to Robb's letters just yet, but I promise you, it's worth the wait.
> 
> First of all, only after I've poster the first chapter did I realize that it was Saturday instead of Friday (blame the summer holiday), and as my Fridays are going to be packed anyway, the new chapters are coming each Saturday.
> 
> On the chapter: Robb's long-awaited confrontation with Theon turns out to be... not really like he imagined it would be. Luckily, both of the boys decide to move past their animosities and begin the new school year as friends, even if they haven't quite gotten rid off the elephant in the room. Also, Theon finally gets to meet Jon, and to Robb's surprise, they seem to get along just fine so far (don't get too used to it). It would all be great if not for the constant threat of Ramsay Bolton looming over the boys. One thing is for sure, last year was only the beginning for the Slytherin. He is not done with Robb Stark yet.
> 
> Next week: Robb reunites with his housemates; Jon, Margaery and a certain few others get sorted.


	3. The Hatstall

One might think that after being far away from the castle for about two months straight, walking back into the Great Hall would feel weird for Robb and Theon, yet it didn't. It has actually felt kind of natural. It was the natural order of things. Autumn comes, you go to school; Christmas comes, you go back home; New Year comes, you go to school et cetera, et cetera... However, to his own surprise, Robb had to admit that not a lot has changed around here since he left. Everything seemed the same way as it was before. The Great Hall still seemed just as astonishingly huge as it was when he first saw it, with four large tables, each assigned to a different house, and one more for the staff at the opposite end of it. The ceiling, enchanted to reflect the vast, dark skies above it, was illuminated by a shiny rash of stars. Slightly lower, in the mid-air, hovered a multitude of candles, shedding light on the tables way below. Everyone has always wondered how did they prevent the blazing hot wax from dripping onto the poor students' heads, but it seemed like the answer to that, was the same you'd get to about every other question in Hogwarts: _“Magic!”_

Granted, it was a bit different this time around. Back when he was still a newbie, he entered the school with all the other first-years, when everyone else has already taken their seats. Imagine this. The door opens, and you walk into the room, crossing straight through the middle of it. Four hundred pairs of eyes, all on you. Only then Robb could truly understand the magnitude of the school. Not that he didn't know before that Hogwarts was no usual school. This, however, was the exact moment he found that out by himself. So many talented young wizards in one place, under the same roof. It was only then that he truly got the grasp of how magical of a place is Hogwarts. 

Currently, the Hall was only about three-quarters full. Many students were still waiting for their carriage near the Hogsmeade station. Still, Robb couldn't deny that even after having spent a good year of his life in here, he could still feel the incredible atmosphere of the place. The same one he could feel exactly one year ago, in the same place. The magic. The adventure. The mystery. It was all just like in his first-year... except with way more problems. He was in the second grade now, and Jon was going to take his place as the newbie. Was he going to do better than him? Was he going to avoid the mistakes his stupid older brother made? Was his first year at Hogwarts going to be better than Robb's? He could only hope so.

  * I guess there's my table – Theon said sadly, looking at the table on the far left.




The drapings hanging from above it have accurately been decorated in green and silver, with wave-like motives. There weren't many students sitting by it, the older Slytherins apparently taking their time to start the new year, but the most important ones have already been there. Robb obviously did not like the idea of sending Theon right into the lion's den. Actually, he has kind of hoped the boy might want to go and join him by the Hufflepuff table. After all, he was supposed to be a Puff, so that wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

  * Mine's here – Robb said, pointing to the table, marked by a yellow and black draping.




Besides, it would've been nice to actually have someone he could talk to by the table. Well, there was Loras, but Robb didn't want to bother him constantly. He surely had better things to do than taking care of an annoying brat like him. There was also Podrick, the only one of his old friends who still kept in touch with him, but besides the few minutes long talk at the Hogwarts Express, they haven't really spoken face to face yet. Robb was scared that it might turn out to be awkward between them and he would lose one more friend. Besides that, wherever Pod was, rest of the group would follow. It meant that meeting the boy was synonymous with meeting Torrhen, Wendel, Bethany and, last but not least, Talisa (in front of whom he has already managed to make a complete fool of himself). He really wished Theon would come with him. He could use some company.

  * Are sure you're going to be alright – Robb asked, hoping that the answer would be something amongst the lines of _“No, I'm scared, can I sit with you?”_

  * Yeah, it's good – Theon replied, to his friends disappointment. - How about you?

  * I've been through worse than that – the brown haired boy smiled somewhat bitterly. - I'll be fine.

  * Well, have fun then – the Slytherin said, patting his friend on the back, and then walked off in the direction of his table.




Robb observed for a while, if that causes any reaction in Ramsay or his evil clique, but luckily, they seemed to have enough for today. Even bullies like them deserve some rest. Seeing that Theon was safe, for now at least, the boy headed off towards his own table, hoping that he would be the first of his year to get there. Unfortunately for him, as he came closer, he noticed few familiar faces he hoped he would have the chance to avoid for as long as its possible. The opposite end of the table has already been occupied by Podrick, Wendel, Torrhen, Bethany and Talisa, all completely lost in conversation with each other. To think that if he hadn't been this stupid, Robb would be talking with them right now, having a good time. Once again he wished that he never sent that stupid letter to his parents. It didn't only hurt him, but it also hurt the ones closest to him, and costed him friendships he always dreamed of having. He really missed all of them. He missed Torrhen's obnoxious way of talking. He missed Wendel's sarcastic remarks. He even missed his occasional talks with Bethany, and they have never even been that close. Most of all, however, he missed Talisa. Besides Theon, she was the only person at Hogwarts he had such a close connection with. He didn't know her for as long as he knew Jon, but he felt like he could tell her about everything that was been bothering him. Still, that was before she found out he was a liar. Now there was nothing he could do to get her friendship back. He could just hope that one day she would be stupid enough forgive him.

Robb wondered what he should do in such situation. Should he just say _“hi”_ and sit next to them? Or maybe he should just ignore them and take a seat as far away from them as possible? There was also another option. He could always just run away into the Hogsmeade station, hoping that the train hasn't left yet, and go back home. What was the point of making a fool of himself, when he could just easily avoid it? ...no, that wasn't an option. It would only further prove how much of a coward he really was, and this year he needed to focus on getting his good name back. Making a great escape wasn't going to help him in any way, and neither was hiding from his housemates. He needed to prove them that Robb Stark was no coward, and he was going to do it right now. The boy fixed his Hufflepuff scarf, proudly showing off the house colors, clenched his fists, and bolted straight towards the rest of his friends.

  * Hi, guys! – he said having made his way towards them.




In that moment all the cheerful chitchat went silent as five pairs of eyes have all turned towards Robb. Suddenly he really wished he did run away... or jumped under the train. At this point he really didn't care. Robb took a look at everyone around the table, observing their reactions. Despite all of them probably sharing the same hatred towards him, each of their reactions has been a bit different different. Bethany, whose long dark-brown hair have been tied behind her back into a long ponytail, just gawked at him, surprised that he even decided to come over and say anything. Wendel just cocked an eyebrow at him, slightly annoyed at the boy's appearance. He hasn't changed that much either. He was still rather a big guy with the same sarcastic aura around him. Torrhen just shot him a quick glance and then turned his gaze away. He has always been a bit fussy when he didn't like something. By the looks of it, he must've really disliked Robb. Talisa, however, didn't turn away like he did. The look on her face was the one Robb had the most problem recognizing. How did she feel towards him? Was she mad? Upset? Disappointed? Her blank facial expression didn't explain anything.

  * Hi – Podrick, the only person in here who still liked Robb, replied.




Unlike his friends, he didn't seem to be holding any grudges against the boy. He did seem to be feeling rather uncomfortable in his presence, though. Not that Robb could blame him. It was a miracle at least one of his friends has forgiven him.

  * Hi – Bethany followed shyly.

  * Hi... - so did Wendel, although in a way less friendly tone.

  * So – Robb continued, with a dumb smile plastered on his face – how was your summer holiday? Good?




Hearing that, Wendel narrowed his eyes at his ex-friend, and Robb already knew he shouldn't have asked the question in the first place. Was it too late to ignore them and take a seat somewhere else?

  * It was _okay –_ he replied in a voice that made Robb feel sorry for even standing next to him.

  * Oh, really? - he asked awkwardly. - That's good. How about you, guys? Torrhen? Talisa?




He didn't get any response from those two. Torrhen just turned around even more to show how much he hates him, while Talisa sighed and let her head down, not to look at the boy anymore.

  * Podrick? - Robb added with a nervous chuckle.

  * It was good.

  * Great, glad to hear that.




That said came the long-awaited moment of awkward silence. Robb stood by the table, with the same idiotic smile painted all over his face, stepping from one foot to another, hoping his gracefulness would help him get out of the situation. Quietly, he was hoping for one of his old friends to move away and make room for him, but no one has moved even for an inch. There was no place for Robb by the table, yet he was still standing next to them like a moron he was. He needed to find a good way to excuse himself out of the situation.

  * So...

  * Stark?! - came a sudden rescue. - Hey, Stark!




Robb turned around only to notice Loras looking right at him, pointing with his hand to the free seat right next to him.

  * I've saved a seat for you! You're coming?!




A sudden feeling of relief took over Robb as he let out the air he kept in his lungs since he first saw his housemates. Never before has he been so happy to see that blonde jerk. He shot one more look towards his friends by the table and smiled apologetically.

  * I-I guess I'll just... go now... bye – Robb stuttered out, before quickly walking off (or running off, not sure which word is better to describe it) towards Loras.

  * You owe me one, kid – the older boy said as he took a seat next to him. - Are those guys really still mad at you?

  * Looks like it – his younger friend replied bleakly.

  * Well, just be grateful I got you before they did. The big one looked as if he wanted to rip your head off.




Well, maybe it would've been better if he did so? That would save Robb a lot of trouble this year. The boy rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes, hoping to forget about what just happened as soon as possible.

Luckily, the odds seemed to be in his favor this one time, as few minutes later door to the Great Hall opened with a loud bang, revealing no one else, but professor Baelish, as slimy as always, with a few tiny heads poking out from behind his painfully emerald robe. That was it. The new generation of Hogwarts students has arrived. The man smiled arrogantly and puffed his scrawny chest proudly, taking a step forward. The rest of the tiny ones followed right behind him, some of them a bit more confident and some a bit less.

  * Here they come! Here they come! - Loras said excitedly, turning towards his younger friend.




It was quite a sight. Loras has never struck Robb as an emotional person. Usually, he was the one to keep a cool head about everything. It was hard to make him not only sad or angry, but also happy or excited. Now, however, he was simply freaking out over his little sister getting sorted. Robb could understand him, however. After all Jon was getting sorted today too. In fact, he was looking for him right now, but sadly the Hufflepuff table was located a bit further from the middle of the Hall than the other ones, so he didn't see much. Few seconds later, however, Loras nudged him and pointed to a group of first-years walking by.

  * There she is! There's Margaery! - he said excitedly.




Yes, in fact Robb could see Margaery passing by, her long, wavy hazel hair making it easier, for her to be noticed. She was currently busy having a conversation with a redheaded girl right next to her. It took her way less than Robb to meet new people, considering the entire road to Hogwarts she spent in one compartment with Loras. He wasn't surprised, though. From the very first meeting, she seemed like the type likely to find friends more quickly than the others... and speaking of the others, Jon was still nowhere to be found. For a second or two Robb wondered if his brother was that similar to him, and has decided to run away from school. Luckily, a moment later, he noticed a head full of dark curls, closer to the end if the group, slowly making its way through the Great Hall. In contrast to Margaery, Jon didn't have anyone to talk to, barely even looking at the short boy walking right next to him. Actually, he seemed to be rather bewildered by the size of the room. Surely he'd rather just skip the Sorting Ceremony and hide in his new bedroom. Sadly this wasn't going to happen as the students have finally reached the tiny platform in front of the student tables, where awaiting them, was the Sorting Hat.

As usual the Hat began the Ceremony with a few minutes long song detailing Hogwarts's long and, at times, turbulent history and then quickly describing each of the houses. Loyal Hufflepuffs, witty Slytherins and so it goes... Despite having listened to the entire song with amazement during his first year, this year he couldn't do it. Having zoned out completely after the third verse, he decided to focus his attention on something else. The teachers' table.

Not much seemed to have changed around him. Robb recognized most of the teachers by the table. There was professor Pycelle, clearly boring the pants off professor Luwin with whatever he was talking about, professor Varys, rolling his eyes at the mere sight of the Potions teacher, professor Tyrell, smiling joyfully towards her granddaughter and professor Lannister having another refill of whatever was that inside of his flask. However, there was one person that has managed to capture Robb's attention, and that person was of course the school headmistress – professor Lysa Arryn. While not much seemed to have changed over the summer, a change in the woman could've been both felt and seen. The dark clothes she has worn as a sign of mourning after her late husband were gone, having been replaced by a gauzy, dress-like robe in a greyish shade of blue. Her red hair, usually tied behind her back, have now been hanging onto her shoulders freely. The conceited look on her face has been much different from the one she had just a year ago. It was rather safe to say the woman has effectively gotten over her husband's death by this point.

A sound of people clapping has brought Robb back to the real world as professor Baelish stepped to the middle of the platform.

  * When I call your name, you will step forward and sit on the stool – he said. - Then the hat will decide which house you belong to.




Somehow, despite not having said anything out of ordinary, he has still managed to send shivers down Robb's spine. If this year the Potions lessons were to be taught by some other teacher, he surely wasn't going to complain about it.

  * Altin, Pypar! – the teacher called.




The boy standing right next to Jon gulped loudly and stepped forward to the platform. Professor Baelish smiled encouragingly (shudders) and gestured for him to sit at the stool. However, right as he was about to put the hat on the boy's head, a sound of steps has interrupted the ceremony. Robb turned around only to notice his uncle running inside the Great Hall in a hurry.

  * I'm so sorry – he said, seeing as every single pair of eyes has been pointed at him.




Well, to be honest he _did_ say he was going to be late today. He nearly came back from a two-week trip to Iceland after his friend had asked him to help him out there. Despite having just come back from his expedition at East Timor, he decided to go there, but not before he finally took Robb and Jon camping, like he always promised to. It was fun. The entire night they just listened to stories about his adventures, told each other jokes and binged on junk food. Even Robb's dad came to visit them for a moment. After all, mrs Stark's the garden wasn't that far away from home, but with uncle Benjen even that felt like an adventure. He really liked spending time with him. On the way back his uncle faced a bit of complications, but he wrote that he would try his best to see Jon getting sorted. Luckily for him, it looked like he would be able to keep that promise too.

  * Let me guess – the emerald clad teacher asked – your plane was late again?

  * No – the man replied, panting slightly – a ship. There was a storm on my way here. I'm sorry, I'm not going to interrupt you anymore.




That said he ran off quickly towards the teachers' table, accompanied by students' laughter. The man squeezed his way through the teachers' chairs, before finally taking a seat next to professor Lannister.

  * Can we continue? - professor Baelish asked, getting a quick nod as an answer. - Alright then.




Tha said he lowered the hat onto the boy's head, entirely covering his face. There was a moment of silence before the hat opened its... mouth? Still don't know what to call it. Anyways, the hat opened its mouth and yelled out:

  * HUFFLEPUFF!




The boy smiled brightly as the hat has been taken off his head and ran off straight towards the table marked by yellow drapings. There he immediately got greeted by a choir of enthusiastic cheers. He seemed to be happy with results of the Sorting, and why wouldn't he? Hufflepuff was clearly the best place he could've ended up in. Robb knew that now, and he really wished he knew that back when he got sorted there. That would have saved him a lot of trouble.

Over the next thirty minutes Hufflepuff has gained even more students, outnumbering the other houses by a small yet significant margin. It was a huge improvement over last year, where the yellow house has gained the smallest amount of housemates in many years. Thirteen new students to nine have definitely made a huge difference. By the time a fourteenth one has arrived, it was clear which house has benefited the most from this year's Sorting Ceremony. Yet, while happy about Hufflepuff gaining so many new members, Robb couldn't really be bothered about what was going on. It's been over half-an-hour, and he was still waiting for Jon to be sorted. I mean, come on, how many people whose surnames start with an “R” could there be? Sometimes he really hated the alphabetical order.

Finally, as Stanley, Grenn has gotten sorted into _“GRYFFINDOR!”,_ he heard his younger brother's name being called out.

  * Stark... Jon! – professor Baelish said, with a brief pause in between.

  * Dude, it's your brother – Loras said, nudging Robb slightly to grab his attention.

  * I know, I've heard it.




The dark-haired boy flinched slightly at the mention of his name and looked around unsure of what to do.

  * Come on, Jon – the teacher sai encouragingly. - Don't be so shy. We're all waiting for you.




For some reason that remark was enough for Robb to want to go into his big brother mode and kick the teacher's butt so hard that he would think twice before even taking a single look towards Jon again. He knew very well that this, what everyone else wold've probably considered to be, friendly gesture had to be hiding something. If professor Baelish didn't care about you, he didn't even notice you. However, if he knew that you might come in handy to him in near future, you wouldn't be able to get rid of him. If there was a person who knew it best, it was Robb. He couldn't deny that his “friendship” with the Potions teacher has come in handy a few times, especially when he has gotten into trouble with the headmistress, but overall, it was a really weird kind of relation. He hated the man, even if he didn't do anything bad to him. He just simply didn't trust him and he didn't want him to even try to act the same as he did with him towards Jon. He didn't want this slimy weasel anywhere close to his younger brother.

  * What a jerk – Robb muttered under his breath.

  * What? - Loras asked, having overheard his housemate.

  * No, it's nothing...




Eventually, having been encouraged by the greathearted professor Petyr Baelish, Jon stepped out to the platform and took a seat on the stool. Sitting there, he turned around to the Hufflepuff table, sneaking one more worried glance towards his older brother. Robb replied quickly by showing off his crossed fingers towards him and sending him a warm smile. Despite clearly not feeling too well about it, Jon returned the favor as the hat descended onto his head and covered him completely.

There were few seconds of silence. Then the few seconds became a minute. Then the minute fas become two minutes. By the time a four-minutes mark has passed Robb's worry has reached its peak. What was going on? Why has Jon's sorting been taking so long? He's been through two of those ceremonies and the longest he's seen any student take to be sorted was either him or Theon, and even then, in both cases it didn't even last two minutes. Jonm on the other hand, was getting more and more close to reaching the five-minutes mark, which apparently was some sort of big deal, judging by everyone's expressions.

  * Why is it taking him so long? - Robb asked Loras, clearly worried about his brother.

  * Don't know – the blond replied – but if it goes like that for any longer, I think he will reach the Hatstall.

  * The Hatstall?

  * Yeah, it's like when you reach the five-minutes point – Loras explained. - It doesn't happen often.

  * And what happens when you reach the Hatstall? - Robb asked.

  * You wait.




That piece of information definitely did not help the boy calm his nerves down. What if it lasts longer than five minutes? What if the Hat decided Jon simply doesn't fit any house at all and they would send him back home? What was he going to tell his parents? Jon was his younger brother. He should protect him. How was he going to protect him from that? Robb turned around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Theon by the Slytherin table, but in the crowd of students he couldn't even notice him. That's exactly when the Sorting Hat has finally made the final decision.

  * GRYFFINDOR!




It took Robb a moment to realize that his brother got sorted, but right as he noticed the hat being raised off his head and he heard a choir of cheers from the nearby table, he simply couldn't refrain from getting up and cheering for his brother as loudly and obnoxiously as he only could. Obviously it resulted in few weird looks, courtesy of his Hufflepuff housemates, but he didn't care. Not when his little brother has finally gotten sorted. His little Jon was a Hogwarts student now. A Gryffindor at that. The dark-haired boy smiled shyly as he walked off towards the red-decorated table, where he got greeted enthusiastically by a crowd of older students.

Robb let out one more high-pitched shout to honour his brother, before taking a look at the Slytherin table. This time, from the standing position, he could notice his friend laughing at his best friend's behaviour from the other side of the room. Robb liked making him laugh, even if it was unintentionally. Theon just looked so pure as he laughed, he couldn't get enough of seeing that. He could just watch him laughing forever. That definitely was a better alternative to being ignored by his friends all year long.

  * Satisfied? - Loras asked with a smirk, as the other boy took a seat by the table.

  * Yeah – he replied with a smile. - The truth is, I honestly did not know where to put him in, but now that the Sorting Hat has sorted Jon into Gryffindor, I'm pretty sure that-




His words have suddenly gotten cut off by a loud thud coming from the platform. As Robb turned around to look what's going on, he noticed a poor first year student picking himself off the floor. Of course, the evil part of the audience has immediately reacted with laughter, clearly not making his situation any better.

  * Ooh, this is going to stick around with him for a while – Loras said, desperately trying to stop himself from laughing at the poor boy's misfortune.




Robb couldn't deny he felt bad for him. The boy in question was short but rather burly, built in a similar way to Wendel. Greasy strands of dark hair fell onto his forehead. By the pinkish-red color that the boy's chubby face has taken, it was obvious that he was embarrassed by the situation. Robb didn't know who he was, he didn't even remember his name, but he knew that he wouldn't want to be in his place right now.

  * Are you okay? - professor Baelish asked, clearly with way less concern than he had when Jon was being sorted.

  * Yes – the boy replied, wiping the dust off his slightly tight clothes. - I'm fine, sir.

  * Glad to hear that – the man said, patting the boy on the shoulder – now if you'd take the-

  * Oh, of course.




As the boy took a seat on the stool, Robb could've heard someone by the Slytherin table, most likely Ramsay or one of his friends, snickering maliciously. He wasn't sure what it was about, but surely it mustn't have been anything nice. Wherever the boy would end up, Robb has promised himself he would find him and at least try to have a talk with him. He didn't know him, but he seemed to be a good kid. Surely he didn't deserve to be treated like that by anyone, especially by Ramsay Bolton.

This time around, it took the hat way less time to decide what house the chubby boy would find himself in.

  * RAVENCLAW!




The loud cheering coming from the Ravenclaw table, as the boy made his way over there, was eclipsed by an equally loud sound of chatting coming from all the other houses' tables.

  * He should've been a Hufflepuff! – Robb heard one of the Gryffindors sitting nearby say.

  * Why is everyone being such jerks about it? - he asked Loras, visibly annoyed with the way the chubby boy got treated.

  * Don't know – the blonde replied. - Why were they such jerks towards you? Don't forget these are all teens. They all need someone to hate and make fun of.

  * Okay, but it was different with me – Robb said. - I deserved it. He did not. Besides, I'm basically a teenager, but I don't feel the need to hate or make fun of anyone, and I don't believe that everyone in here is a jerk like Ramsay.

  * You're too good for this world, Stark.




That said, he turned around to check on the sorting. As the hat has been busy sorting another student, there was only two people left to be sorted, one of whom was Margaery Tyrell, Loras's younger sister. No wonder why he was so excited. Not even a minute later, after the blonde girl sitting on the stool got sorted into _“GRYFFINDOR!”,_ professor Baelish has called another student out.

  * Tyrell, Margaery.

  * Here she is! Here she is! - Loras said, grabbing Robb by the wrist from excitement.




The young girl smirked confidently and strutted right towards the platform, gracefully taking a place on the stool. She turned around one more time to take a look at her grandmother, who watched everything with a proud expression, and then she disappeared under the Sorting Hat.

  * What house is she going to end up in? - Robb asked his friend quickly.

  * Well, I'm not sure – the blond replied. - What I know is that the hat is probably going to have a tough choice between putting her into Ravenclaw or Huffle-

  * SLYTHERIN!




The school year hasn't even begun yet, but the look on Loras's face as he heard that had already become one of Robb's personal highlights of the year. Rarely do you see him so clueless about anything. Really, it was a shame no one has captured it. Margaery, however, didn't seem that surprised by the hat's decision, as she smirked proudly and walked off towards the Slytherin table. One thing Robb could've been sure of: this girl was surely going to shake things up a bit in here.

  * What is it? - he asked the blond to his right, still shocked by the sorting of his baby sister. - Surprised?

  * No, it's not about that – Loras replied, in a voice seemingly devoid of any emotion. - I think I owe Renly a galeon.




Then came Robb's favorite part of the Great Feast – food. Seeing as last year he was far too depressed to fully appreciate the broad diverisity of offerings the dinner has brought with itself, this year he has decided to make up for it by eating twice as much as he could... well, technically he has done the same thing during the Hallowe'en feast and the End of Therm feast too, but who cares? No one was going to stop him. The table filled with variety of roasted meats and various forms of potatoes reminded him of the mythical cornucopia. It had almost everything his twelve-year-old heart would dream of at the moment, including vast number of pies and tarts it had to offer. By the time everyone has finished the main course, Robb was already at his third slice of the wonderful banana cake the kitchen elves have provided him with.

  * Dude, you better slow down – Loras warned him eventually. - You're going to get a stomachache.

  * Oh, shut up – Robb replied with mouth full of cake. - It helps me calm my nerves.

  * Well, it surely won't help your cholesterol level.




The boy sent his older friend a glare, equally as angry as embarrassed, and the moved his plate away from him, continuing to stuff himself with the creamy delights of the banana pie. He has always been a bit of a stress eater, and he didn't like other people pointing it. That was the least he could do to make himself feel less nervous about the next year. His friends didn't want to talk to him, the headmistress desperately wanted to kick him out and Ramsay was obviously plotting something against him. That cake was the only thing that kept him from locking himself in the bathroom for the next nine months, and he was going to finish eating it, even if it was the last thing he'd do in his life (which, considering the capacity of human's stomach, it might be).

Sadly, soon afterwards, Robb's appetite has disappeared irretrievably, as the joyful chatter of students had faded away, the moment headmistress Arryn has raised herself of the chair and headed off towards the ornate podium. Suddenly the pie he was gorging himself on not so long ago has gained the acrid taste of venom. Such was the effect the mere sight of the woman had on him.

  * Dear students – she began – may I ask for a moment of silence?




Luckily for her, she didn't have to follow with a screechy shout, like she always did, since everyone assemblied has quickly turned all their attention towards her.

  * Thank you – the woman continued. - I'd like to welcome you to another year of studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.




The Great Hall has quickly filled itself with the sound of enthusiastic clapping and shouting, much to the teacher's obvious displeasure.

  * Did I ask you to say anything?! - she snapped, successfully sending everyone assembled quiet.

  * There it is – Loras whispered to Robb, earning a nod in response.

  * Anyways – the woman said, her fake warm smile back on her face – as always, I have few announcements to make. First of all, I'd like to welcome all of the first-year students who have joined the ranks of out school.




Few people present in the hall have tried to applaud for their younger friends once more, but the headmistress's petrifying look has definitely made them rethink their life choices.

  * I also would like to remind you akk, that the Forbidden Forest, located on the school grounds if forbidden to enter to all of the students. I repeat, _forbidden_!




Few muffled sniggers could've been heard by the Hufflepuff table, quiet enough so that the woman won't hear it. This has only made Robb even sadder. He remembered how fun it was back then with his housemates in the forest. What if an occasion like that wouldn't happen like that? Oh, who was he kidding? He knew it wouldn't.

  * Also – professor Arryn continued – mr Frey, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you that no magic should be used on school corridors. Not a single misdemeanour will remain unnoticed, and every lawbreaker will pay for his misdeeds.




For some reason Robb couldn't resist the feeling, that this part of woman's speech has been directed towards him.

  * Sing-ups for the school's Quidditch teams will be held in the second week of studying – the headmistress informed. - Everyone interested should report their participation to the house's respective captains... and finally, to end the announcements, I'd like to remind you all that if there was anything the school faculty should need to know, I'd advice you to report it either to me or my second-in-command, the Potions teacher, professor Petyr Baelish.




The man in question reacted by standing up from behind the table and bowing slightly. The hatred in professor Varys's eyes has never been so obvious. It was weird how much both of them have disliked each other. After all they were both Slytherins. Maybe they have even attended the school together? One thing that everyone knew, though, was that neither of them has felt much sympathy towards the other.

  * To end my speech – the woman said finally – I wouldd also like all of us to sing our school song to get into the spirit before our first official day of studying.




Despite the obvious complaining coming from the opposite end of the Great Hall, professor Arryn smiled brightly and pulled a wand out of her robe. - Everyone, pick you favorite tune and... go.

 

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees...

 

Only the first-years and few older prefects have been paying attention to the song, rest of students simply choosing to mumble along with the words to avoid detention. From what Robb has heard it hasn't always been like that. Back when Jon Arryn was still the headmaster, the school song was a vital part of the ceremony. Everyone loved singing along with it. Now that his wife took over as the school's headmistress, something has changed. It wasn't the same. It wasn't as... fun as it used to be. Jon Arryn was a good man, very smart and respectable, but at the same time warm and joyful. Lysa... simply, was not. Still, it wasn't her uptight behavior that he has paid the most attention to. He knew her since he was a kid. He already knew what she was like. What really caught his attention was the way she behaved. She clearly enjoyed being in a position of power. In fact, she didn't even mention her late husband once, which was a surprise for Robb. It's not that he wanted her to stay in mourning until the day she dies, but considering how devastated she seemed to be the man's death, he thought that she might say something on the first anniversary. She didn't, though. She clearly enjoyed being in a position of power, and, as awful as that might sound, Robb felt like she didn't miss her husband too much. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe he let his personal dislike of professor Arryn cloud his judgement on her? Or maybe that's just who she was? An evil, narcissistic person, who would do anything just to get her way. Suffice to say, he didn't trust her the least. It was obvious to him that she was hiding something, whatever it was.

Robb couldn't help but feel like his problems with professor Arryn clearly haven't ended yet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit, Jon was a tough one to sort. Throughout my brief time in the GoT fandom I've seen him frequently get sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, even Ravenclaw (even though I consider this one the least likely.) That said, I've chosen the first one as the house I would put Jon into in this story. He has always been pretty much a straightforward hero figure, much like Harry Potter himself. Besides, I've just thought it might be interesting to put Robb's younger, “unfavorite” brother into his dream house. Margaery was way easier to sort. Girl's Slytherin through and through. Also, let me just say that I absolutely adore Margaery Tyrell, so expect her to pop up a lot more often in the next chapters.
> 
> Also, professor Arryn... yeah, let's be clear. Bitch is clearly up to something. What exactly is it? How is her second-in-command involved into it? Well, you're going to have to wait a while to find out her plan, but I can promise you it's going to be an important part of the plot.
> 
> One more thing, from the more technical point of view, I didn't really know what to do with GoT characters who are known only by their first name (Pypar, Grenn, Irri etc.), so I'm going to use the actors' real last name as the characters' last name.
> 
> Next chapter: Robb and Jon finally meet the chubby boy from the Sorting Ceremony, and Theon has some important news to share with his best friend.


	4. It's Sam For Friends

So, when narrating through a set of Robb's awful life choices, one word is always bound to pop up very often. That word is _“awkward.”_ Yeah, get ready to see that one being used a lot. However, in defence of the limited vocabulary, there is not a single other word, which describes the boy's life the same way as _“awkward”_ did. Whatever happened to him, whether by his fault or a pure coincidence, it was always going to be rather uncomfortable to him. It's not like he tried to make it like that. Robb has always been a rather easy-going guy, and he tried to avoid any trouble. Why would he need any? Sadly, it seemed like he had a talent for finding himself in awkward situations. After all, how else would you describe a situation, when you say goodnight to your roommates, only to receive a mumbled response from one of them, while the others couldn't care less? Or when you walk into the Great Hall and you can just feel everyone's glares on your back? Or even when you walk into the bathroom and a pair of older Hufflepuff girls, who have chosen this spot to gossip with each other, abruptly leaves the room? Nobody wanted to be friends with a traitor.

So, as evidenced, the beginning of the year hasn't been too kind to Robb. Of course, he wasn't alone. Podrick would exchange few words with him from time to time, when he wasn't currently spending time with the rest of his friends. Still, Robb couldn't deny he felt rather weird in the boy's company. He has forgiven him. Supposedly everything was okay, but Robb could still feel some kind of distance between the two of them. Their friendship was clearly not the way it used to be. Then there was Loras, who has single-handedly saved him from a bunch of rather unpleasant moments. The problem with him, however, was that he hasn't wasn't dispositional all the time. For Loras, this friendship was just some kind of help towards his younger friend. Nothing more. They liked each other. Sometimes they would talk in the corridor, between the lessons, but that was it. Loras had his own life that didn't always revolve around pleasing a spoiled brat, who fell into the rest of the house's bad books. Then there was also Theon, who was always fully dispositional... yet there was no denying that the letter thing has put a bit of a strain on their friendship. They were still friends, but just to a certain extent.

However, there was still one option of contact left for Robb. The only one which didn't make him feel kind of bad about himself. Ever since the school year began, Jon has been trying to spend as much time in the close vicinity of Robb as he only could. When asked about the sorting, he said he was pleasantly surprised. Ever since he heard about his older brother getting into Gryffindor (ahem), he has had the distant hope that one day he might get there too. Now his dreams came true, even if his brother wasn't exactly in the same house as him. Still, there was one problem left, a rather big one at that: Jon has barely even spoken to any of the other students.

  * They're okay, I guess – he replied, when Robb confronted him about it. - There's this one guy in my room, Grenn, who seems rather nice, but I'm not sure if I'll make friends with any of them yet.




Answers like this usually filled the boy with worry towards his younger brother. He always knew that Jon was no social butterfly, but he still was a great person. Someone who, if gained enough confidence to actually start a conversation with anybody, would have no problem making friends. It was him who has convinced himself he has no chance at that. Nonsense! Jon was easily one of the best people Robb has ever met and definitely someone he would like to befriend, if he didn't know him already. If only there was more people like him.

It was Tuesday and both Robb and Jon have finished their second period of lessons and headed off towards the Great Hall to have lunch. Despite the Hufflepuff's worries about his brother, he couldn't deny was happy that he wouldn't have to eat alone by the Hufflepuff table. Well, there was also Theon, but whenever one of them would get anywhere close to the other house's table, everyone would give them weird looks, so they've decided it would be better to spend the lunch breaks alone. With Jon, however, he didn't have to worry about anything. There was nothing wrong with spending time with your brother, even if you were the school's biggest public enemy. Part of Robb was actually glad Jon didn't have the chance to meet anyone yet. Was he a bad person to think so?

  * So – the brown-haired boy began – how was your day?

  * Rather okay – the Gryffindor replied. - I've had Transfiguration today.

  * Cool, did professor Lannister turn into a lion like he did last year?

  * He did – Jon nodded his head. - Will we have to do that too?

  * No, sadly for the rest of the year you'll be trying to turn a mouse into a matchbox – Robb said, and then added, seeing his brother's disappointed expression – Hey, it's more fun that it may seem.




Yeah, it was not. Thank God Robb was rather adapt at Transfiguration, otherwise he'd have huge problems with the subject.

  * What else did you have?

  * Potions, with professor Baelish – Jon replied, slightly confused.

  * And? - the older brother asked. - How was it?

  * It was... weird. He would mention me all the time in the classroom.

  * Yeah – the brown-haired boy said, slightly disgruntled by that information – he does that quite often.




Suffice to say, he didn't like professor Baelish “pulling a Robb” on his little brother. It was a term that Torrhen and Wendel came up with back in first class, when they noticed the Potions teacher's never ending streak of favoritism towards the boy. Wow, he really missed those guys.

However, this candid moment of thoughtfulness didn't last too long, as few seconds later something else has caught Robb's attention. First thing he noticed was two boys talking. Judging by their looks and the fact that he's never seen any of them before beginning of the new year, he guessed they were both first-years. One of them, wearing a green-and-silver striped tie, was of short and of a rather burly built, but he didn't look too pleasant at first sight. He looked like the kind of kid to steal your toys in the sandpit and make fun of you at school. He kind of reminded Robb of Ramsay, but without a hint of mental instability. The second boy, however, he recognized immediately. It was the same one, who has tripped on his way to the sorting back at the Great Feast. His blue-and-brown tie fell loosely onto his tight-fitting Hogwarts uniform, partially covered by the stack of books he was carrying.

At first Robb has brushed it off, guessing they were just two friends having a conversation. The longer he watched them, however, the more he realized that something was off about them. When they got closer, Robb noticed the dismal look on the chubby boy's face. Contrary to the other boy, he clearly didn't take any pleasure from the talk these two were having. Was something wrong? Should Robb intervene?

  * Isn't that the kid from the Sorting Ceremony? - he asked Jon. - You know, the one who tripped in the middle of the Great Hall.

  * Yeah, that's him – the raven-haired boy said, before taking a look at his brother. - Do you think he's in trouble?

  * I don't know – Robb replied, carefully following the situation with his eyes.




Now it was clear that the two of them weren't friends. The chubby Ravenclaw muttered something under his breath, visibly upset about something, which made the other boy laugh and reply something to him. Something which, judging by the rounder boy's reaction, clearly wasn't too nice. He tried to say something else, but the Slytherin just grinned in a vicious way and left, forcefully ramming into him with his shoulder. The Ravenclaw fell onto the ground, each of the books he was carrying falling somewhere else. Some people present at the corridor have snickered at the boy's misfortune, while the rest pretended they didn't see anything. He picked himself up with a dreary sigh and began collecting his books of the ground.

This kind of behaviour has stung Robb as particularly unfair. This kid seemed completely harmless. What could've he possibly done in his first week of studying at Hogwarts to deserve being treated this way by his peers. Robb felt bad for the boy. He really did. In a moment, an idea was born in his head, that maybe he could come towards him and at least help him out with the books. Yeah, that definitely was a good idea, but just as he was about to say it, Jon has decided to intervene.

  * Wait for me – he said quickly, before walking off towards the chubby boy.




Robb, surprised by his brother's unusual confidence, remained in the same please for a second or two, before he decided to follow him and help him out. As he reached the place, Jon was already helping the Ravenclaw pick his books of the floor. The boy seemed rather panicked to have anyone near him, judging by the way he quickly gathered all of his stuff as if he wanted to run away as soon as possible. Couldn't blame him for that, though. It was clear he wasn't going to have it easy in here. Robb bent over to grab one of the books laying near him and took a closer look at it. It was _“The History of Hogwarts: 990 – 1990.”_ The rest of the books have also been tied directly to the historical theme, which apparently was the chubby Ravenclaw's hobby.

  * Here you go – Jon said, handing the remaining books to the boy.

  * Thanks – he replied shyly, without even looking back at the Gryffindor and quickly headed off in the direction of the Great Hall.

  * Hey, wait a moment – Robb called out after him.




The boy stopped abruptly and, after few seconds have passed, turned around slowly to face the Hufflepuff. He seemed frightened that someone might even want to speak to him.

  * You forgot one – he added with a warm expression, hoping to calm the boy's nerves down.




The Ravenclaw hesitated for a while, but eventually he took a cautious step towards him. Few more steps, and he was already standing in front of the boys.

  * Here you are – Robb said, handing him the history book.

  * Thank you – the boy replied without looking.

  * No problem.

  * Are you sure you're alright? - Jon asked eventually.




That question has finally provoked any kind of reaction from the boy, as he turned his face towards the Gryffindor, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. His big dark eyes glimmered with fear. He didn't seem to feel too comfortable with anyone seeing what happened a minute ago, let alone being asked about it.

  * What? - he asked, feigning surprise. - Me? I-I'm fine. I don't know why you're asking.




It took the Starks a mere second of exchanging looks to realize exactly what should they do in such situation – get the truth out of him by any means necessary. After all, meddling into others' personal lives has always been a strength of their family.

  * Who was that guy? - the older brother narrowed his eyes at the boy suspiciously.

  * Wh-wh-what g-guy are you talking about? - the Ravenclaw asked with a clueless smile, but Robb knew better than that.




If there was one person who knew exactly when someone was trying to hide something, it was him. Robb narrowed his eyebrows with an _“are you kidding me?”_ type of expression, hoping to get the answer out of the boy.

  * Oh, that guy... - he said, before proceeding to shake his head. - No, I don't know him.




That said, he tried to escape him, but Robb was quicker, grabbing him by the wrist and stopping him effectively. He felt a bit bad seeing the boy's panicked expression, but he was doing that for his own good... he really was going to make everyone hate him before the year has even began, wasn't he?

  * We've seen the way he treated you – Jon said quickly, trying to calm him down. - What happened?

  * Nothing – the Ravenclaw cried out. - W-we, he and me were just h-having a... okay, he made fun of me. Happy?




The boy seemed to be on the verge of tears. It clearly wasn't an easy subject to talk about. The brothers shared one more look with each other, unsure of what to do. Luckily, Robb got an idea. After all, what's the best solution to when you're feeling sad and lonely? Food.

One thing Robb has never expected was that anyone could match him when it comes to stress eating. Oh, boy! Was he wrong! By the looks of it, he was no match when it came to the Ravenclaw. Well, at least the plan seemed to be working, and the boy has opened up a bit to them. His name was Samwell Tarly and the guy who bullied him was called Rast, also a first-year. Apparently, ever since they've met on the train, he has been making fun of the poor guy over his weight and shy demeanor, which seemed rather uncalled for. Samwell seemed to be a nice boy. Certainly not someone who deserved being treated this way. Why would this jerk target him just because he was a bit bigger than the rest? What was his problem with someone else's weight?

  * So, he came to me after the lessons have ended – the tubby Ravenclaw said with a mouthful of chicken wings, which the kitchen elves have provided the students with today – and started calling me names, so I politely asked him to stop, but he didn't. He just kept on going. He called me a pig and said that he's surprised no chairs have broken under my fat butt so far. I tried to ignore him, but he wouldn't let me, and he just kept on laughing at me, and laughing, and laughing, and laughing!




There he slammed his fist against the table, attracting the attention of nearly everyone present in the Great Hall at the moment, and then stopped, clearly having gotten way too upset with the story to even continue. Jon quickly shot Robb a worried look and returned his face to the boy.

  * It's not my fault I look like this – Sam added quietly. - My mum says I just have big bones.




There were few seconds of silence before any of the Stark brothers has said anything else. Clearly their plan went along even a bit too well. What were they even supposed to tell him to make him feel better? However, after a while Jon has decided to speak up in the boys defence.

  * You are not a pig, Samwell.

  * Tell that to Rast – the boy replied with a sniff. - Maybe he'll believe you?




At this point, he was few seconds away from starting to cry. Something had to be done in order to make him feel better. He has already secured himself a spot as the school's newest pushover. He didn't need to become its main crybaby as well.

  * Why do you care about that jerk, though? - Robb asked, trying to cheer the boy up a bit.




Safe to say, it didn't work out. The Ravenclaw just looked at him with fury in his eyes, a big, fat tear making its way down his rosy cheek.

  * Why do I care about him? - he asked, a hint of betrayal in his voice. - I don't know, maybe because he makes fun of the way I look twenty-four seven and makes it loud enough, so that the whole rest of the class could hear it and make fun of me too. _“Hey, kids, join the fun! Let's torture the fatass!”_ How fun, isn't it?! No, it's not! So don't ask me why do I care so much about Rast, because maybe if I had some friends on my own, I wouldn't have to care about him! For now, I guess that's all I have left to do!




That said, the boy just hung his head low, shedding few tears in silence, leaving the Stark brothers for another moment of awkward silence. To say that Robb felt bad about his words would've been a huge understatement. He was supposed to cheer him up, not bum him out even more. Why was _“why do you care about him?”_ the only thing that came into his head and why was he stupid enough to say it out loud? He might've as well asked himself why did care care about Ramsay so much? It was simple. He was scared of him. Scared of what else Ramsay might do to ruin him. He should know exactly how Samwell felt like.

  * I'm sorry – the shy boy said eventually, raising his head from above the table. - I shouldn't have exploded like that. You were just trying to help me.

  * No, _I'm_ sorry – Robb replied. - I should've known better. Actually, I've been through something like that recently.




 

  * Really? - Samwell widened his eyes in surprise.

  * Yeah.

  * And how did it end?

  * Well...




In this moment the boy hung his head back low in surrender, while Robb has once again contemplated jumping out of the window in Astronomy Tower. No, really, it felt as if he was executing a puppy. Luckily, Jon, who has always been the smarter one out of two of them, has already had the pep talk ready.

  * Look, Samwell-

  * Sam.

  * What? – the Gryffindor asked.

  * It's Sam for friends.




Despite the boy's gloomy tone, Jon couldn't resist a warm smile creeping up his face. This was a rather pleasant sight, since the raven-haired boy has never been particularly cheerful either.

  * Okay, Sam – he started again, with a slight chuckle – look, I understand how you must feel right now. I've been through it too, and so was Robb. The truth is, people are awful.




That confession has kind of surprised the Hufflepuff, considering it was his eleven-year old younger brother saying that, but he just nodded his head, slightly confused, and kept on listening.

  * Okay, maybe not all of them, but most of them just suck. I would know about that. You, however, do not suck in the slightest. I've only known you for, like, ten minutes maybe and I've already come around to like you.




As he said that, a slight blush has formed around the chubby boy's already rosy cheeks. He surely seemed flattered to hear something like that coming from Jon. It didn't look like he got the chance to hear such compliments very often.

  * Besides – the dark-haired boy continued – I do not agree with that Rast guy in the slightest. You are not fat, Sam. Maybe a bit chubby, but not fat and surely not enough to warrant any comparisons to a pig. If anyone is a pig, it's him. No one deserves to be treated like that, so don't you care about what that jerk says. To me, you are just fine.




Right as Jon finished the sentence, he was tackled into a tight bear hug by a very emotional Ravenclaw boy. Robb couldn't help but smile, seeing how uncomfortable it made his younger brother feel. As opposed to him, Jon has never been the first one to show that much affection for anyone.

  * Th-thank you s-s-so much – the boy cried out, sniffing loudly, his face buried in Jon's shoulders. - N-never in my life ha-have I heard something as nice as this.

  * No problem, buddy – Jon said, patting him lightly on the back.




Clearly, he had no idea what to do with all this weight crying on his shoulder.

  * I-it's just that I've never had many friends – there he pulled out his head out of the crook in Jon's neck and sniffed his nose. - Everyone used to just laugh at me – he sniffed his nose again. - Even my dad has always laughed at me – and again. - A-and you, you and your brother, have been probably the first people here to treat me with any respect. I-I just, thank you!

  * It's okay, Sam – Jon replied warmly. - Remember, if you had any problems-




He didn't finish, since the Ravenclaw lunged at him once again, almost squeezing the life out of the poor boy. Despite Sam's visible problems with keeping a cool head, Robb was really happy that he and Jon have decided to help him out. For once his intervention has done more good than bad. Plus, maybe now the list of people who at least tolerate him was going to increase in number to four positions? Theon, Loras, Podrick, Samwell... maybe even Loras's sister? She has seemed rather nice to him. Suddenly things were starting to look up for him.

  * Robb! - the boy suddenly heard from the opposite end of the Great Hall. - Robb?! Oh, there you are!




As he turned around, he noticed Theon approaching the Hufflepuff table in a hurry. Judging by the excited smile on his face, it seemed like there was something important he had to tell him. If not, then he surely wouldn't have appeared there at all. Luckily, none of Robb's friends have currently been sitting by the table, probably having left earlier, because then the situation would've easily turned awkward for all of them. Of course, a few other Hufflepuffs present at the moment have raised their eyebrows in distaste as the Slytherin boy approached Robb, but given the fact that none of them knew him that well, they just continued eating their lunch with silent contempt.

  * Theon – Robb replied, visibly surprised by his friend's sudden appearance – what's going on? What are you doing in here?



  * Robb, you need to come with me – he said, taking a seat opposite the brown-haired boy, right next to Sam. - I have something that-




Then he stopped and took a quick look at the chubby Ravenclaw.

  * Hey, who's the big one?




Robb couldn't restrain himself from facepalming at his friend's complete lack of subtlety, while Sam's face once again got engulfed by a huge blotch of red at the mere mention of his size.

  * That's Sam – Jon explained, slightly annoyed by the Slytherin – a friend of mine. Sam, that's Theon. Robb likes him for some reason.




Theon smiled shyly, slightly embarassed by his own tactlessness, and nodded his head at the Ravenclaw in a friendly maneer.

  * What did you want to tell me? - Robb asked.

  * Tell you? - Theon asked, before reminding himself of why he even came here in the first place – Oh, right... Yeah, you need to come with me. I must show you something.

  * What is it?

  * You'll see – the boy avoided the question. - Just come with me.

  * Let me guess – the Hufflepuff said, narrowing his eyes at the other boy – you won't tell me what it is, until I agree come with you and see it for myself. Am I right?




Theon just flashed him a teethy smile and nodded his head proudly, which Robb found particularly adorable, even by his standards.

  * You're so predictable – he shook his head with a smile. - Alright, I'll go.

  * Awesome! Follow me – the Slytherin said, quickly standing up from the table and heading out of the Great Hall.




The place which Theon has led him towards was the library, which was rather surprising, considering it was Theon we're talking about. Not that he wasn't clever enough or anything like that. It was just that Theon has never been an avid reader, and it was highly possible that before today his foot has never even taken a single step towards the the school library. Maybe it was because he didn't have the occasion to fall in love with books as a child? Or maybe it was simply because of his personality? Whatever was the reason behind it, it was clear that he didn't read too much. Today, however, he stormed right through the middle of the library, pulling Robb alongside by the wrist. What was it that was so important for him to show?

Apparently, nothing worth paying attention to. At one point in time, last year, someone has decided to hang a huge board, where all the students would pin whatever information they thought were important to share with the others. Apparently, it was supposed to bring more visitors to the library or something like that. To their credit, it has worked out rather well, more students appearing there, yet people like Theon, who were determined to avoid books at all cost, still didn't feel encouraged enough to actually give it a try. Usually, these information weren't anything important. Just the usual stuff, like: _“a Remembrall was found missing on the fifth floor”_ or _“school choir is searching for new members”_ or _“the same cat freaking cat has gone missing for the fifth time”_ (no, seriously people, watch your cats). Neither did it contain anything interesting to Robb this time. Besides the sixth _“Cat went missing, again! “_ announcement, the first thing that he could notice were four pieces of paper, each in a color assigned to one of the Hogwarts houses. Once he took a closer look, he knew exactly what was going on.

_“Mr. Barristan Selmy and all the team captains are happy to announce try-outs for the next Quidditch season. All students, sans the first-years, are invited to try their best on the Quidditch Pitch.”_

Underneath the message, written were the dates and hours of the try-outs and, a bit lower, lists of participants eager to take part in this year's Quidditch Cup. On a tiny table, left under the board, stood a quill and a bottle of ink, so that everyone could just add their name to the list. Robb, however, clearly wasn't too keen on doing so.

  * The Quidditch try-outs? That's what you wanted to show me?

  * Yup – Theon nodded, puffing his chest proudly.

  * Why are you showing me this?

  * Why? - the Slytherin asked, surprised by the mere need to ask the question. - So that you could join. I've seen you flying. You're really good. I've just thought that maybe you'd like to give it a try.

  * ...yeah, I'm not doing that – Robb said, shaking his head in response, before turning around to leave.




Apparently, Theon was not going to let his friend go so easily, as he immediately grabbed the Hufflepuff by the hand, stopping him. You know, with all the hand touching that these two had going on, Robb was slowly starting to understand what Yara was talking about.

  * Wait, what? - Theon asked once more, not even hiding his surprise.

  * I said I'm not doing that – Robb replied.

  * But why?

  * Because everyone hates me, Theon – the Hufflepuff said eventually. - That's why. Besides, it's not like I would get in anyway.




As much as he tried to put on a brave face and keep calm, there was no hiding, that Robb did feel rather upset about it. He has always liked Quidditch. Maybe not to such extent as Torrhen, but he did. Actually, back in his first year, he thought about joining the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team when he gets older. Actually, that was one of the few realistic positions on his bucket list. Still, making a lot of friends seemed rather realistic too, but it didn't work out nearly as well in his favour as it was supposed to. Besides, his father used to play Quidditch back in school. He was a Chaser for the Gryffindor team. A really good one at that. In his final year, it was his shot that enabled his team to win over the Slytherins. Robb wanted to be like that too. He has always considered himself good at working in team. Besides, somewhere deep down he hoped that maybe if he would end up being good at Quidditch, it would be easier for him to make friends here. Yeah, it was a childish thought, but that was back when he was still a dumb kid. A year ago. Now he knew it was going to be way harder that that.

  * What are you even talking about? - Theon asked, finally breaking the silence. - Of course you would get in. Your team needs people like you. You know very well what happened to them last year.




Oh, yeah. That wasn't too pleasant to watch. Last year was definitely going to be remembered as one of the worst for the yellow house. Not only did they lose the House Cup because of some entitled little brat (a little clue: his name starts with an “R” and ends with an “obb”), but they've also suffered one of the worst defeats in the entire history of Hogwarts Quidditch Cup. Really, it was brutal. It was true that Hufflepuff could use some young blood on their team, but Robb wasn't sure if it was him that they needed. After all, he was pretty much dead to the rest of his house. Why would they even want to accept him into their team after all that he's done?

  * It's not that easy, Theon – Robb replied sadly. – Besides, even supposing I would get in-




That said he looked at the names written under the announcement, pointing his finger at the very first one, written in huge capital letters.

  * Torrhen is going to come to the try-outs too, and he will surely get in. He basically breathes Quidditch. I'm not sure if we could work together as a team, especially considering how he doesn't even want to talk to me when we're in the same room.




The Slytherin clearly had another argument ready in the back of his head, but Robb stopped him before he could even say anything.

  * I'm sorry, Theon, but I can't do this, at least not now when everything's... the way it is.

  * You don't have to apologize, Robb – the boy replied. - I get it. I just thought, you might be interested.

  * I am... – Robb began, stopping himself in the middle – I mean, I would be under different circumstances. Thank you for telling me.

  * No problem – Theon replied with a bittersweet smile. - Now, shall we go for a walk? You still haven't told me where did you get that Ravenclaw guy from, and I bet that isn't the only story you haven't told me yet.

  * Sure, let's go – Robb said, and the boys have left the library.




Still, the Hufflepuff couldn't quite get the thought of the Quidditch try-outs out of his head. He knew well that it was not a good idea to go there. After all, no one in the house, besides maybe one or two people, could stand him after what happened last year. It was safe to say his chances of getting in seemed rather faint. Besides, Torrhen was going to be there too, which would've made the whole thing even more complicated than it already was. It seemed like there were literally no upsides to this situation, and it may have as well been the truth, yet Robb couldn't stop thinking about it. What if it wasn't such a bad idea, after all? What if joining the school's Quidditch team would've helped him get his good name and respect of the house members back? What if it was his only shot at redemption?

  * Owch! My back is killing me right now, I'm telling you – Theon interrupted all of a sudden, moving his shoulders vigorously to numb the pain.

  * Rough night? - Robb asked.

  * Yeah – Theon nodded in response – the couches in the common room surely aren't the most comfortable place to sleep at.




Hearing that, Robb stopped abruptly, taking a closer look at his friend.

  * What did you just say?

  * I said, couches in the common room aren't the most comfortable place to sleep at – Theon replied as casually as he only could.

  * Why did you sleep on the couch? You have your own bed, don't you?




In that moment, only now having realized what Robb was talking about, Theon looked at his friend with a look of surprisen on his face.

  * Wait, you didn't know I'm sleeping in the common room now?

  * No – Robb replied.

  * I could've sworn I told you about it-

  * Theon – the Hufflepuff interrupted, grabbing the boy lightly by the shoulders and looking right into his blue eyes – did Ramsay kick you out of your room?

  * Yes – he replied shyly.

  * When did that happen?

  * The day he told everyone about your secret. Later, in the Slytherin dormitory, we had a fight about it, I stood up for you and then...




The rest of the story was obvious. _“Pack your bags, Greyjoy. If you like that loser so much, then maybe you'll be better off sleeping with him.”_ How did Theon even deserve something like this? All of that just because he stood up for his friend? Of course, he wasn't that surprised to hear Ramsay has done something like this, he has done worse things already, but that didn't stop Robb from being furious. Furious like he's never been before. How did he dare kick his best friend our of his own bedroom? All he wanted to do right now was to find that jerk and rip him into shreds for even doing something like this to Theon. His Theon. He was not going to let Ramsay treat his friends like that. He needed to do something. He needed to get revenge on him. He needed to squash him into the ground like the dirty, little bug he was. But how? Then a brilliant idea was born inside of Robb's mind.

  * I'll be right back – he said, then proceeding to run off into the opposite direction, leaving a very confused Theon on his own.




As Robb has reached the information board, his eyes went straight to the green piece of paper, where the Slytherins signed up for the Quidditch try-outs. Just as he expected, both Ramsay's and Locke's name have already been written there. For a split second Robb wanted nothing more than to rip the paper off the board and tear it into little pieces... but then he realized that he could possibly do something more useful than that. He closed his eyes, taking his sweet time to make the decision. He could see Ramsay... standing right in front of him... no, flying right in front of him! On a broomstick! Robb was on a broomstick too! And they were flying! The crowd was cheering! A person appeared on the left, passing the Quaffle towards Robb! He caught it in his hands! He fixed himself on his broomstick, soaring higher and even higher, right towards the hoops, and right as Ramsay was about to tackle him, he threw the ball right into the middle one... it went through! They won! The crowd was cheering! Hufflepuff has won the Quidditch Cup! Robb landed on the ground! They were all here to greet him! Theon! Loras! His brother! All of his friends! All happy to see him winning! And somewhere, on the other side of the pitch, Ramsay looked on at him, upset and disappointed. He got defeated by a loser. What kind of karmic justice.

As he opened up his eyes, he knew just what to do. He was afraid. He didn't know what would happen, yet he knew that it was personal. He needed to get his revenge on Ramsay, for everything bad he's done to him, to Theon and to all of his friends, and this seemed like the best way of doing it. Robb took the quill in his right hand, dipping it in the black ink, and pressed the end of it against the papert. As he was done, he took a look at it, breathed out deeply and smiled.

 

“ _Robb Stark”_

 

If he was going to end Ramsay, he might as well have ended him on the Quidditch pitch, in front of everyone. He may have thought it was over after he ruined Robb's reputation in front of the whole school, but he was wrong. Really, really wrong. After all, nobody puts Theon Greyjoy in the corner... or at least not without his angry best friend biting back. That was going to be a lesson Ramsay would remember for the rest of his life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's one important thing I was supposed to adress in the last chapter notes, but of course, me being me, I forgot. While reading Chapter 3 some of you might've noticed that Jon's last name is Stark. I've decided to do it since in the wizarding world no such thing as bastard surnames, so technically speaking, his last name should be that of his father (cough, cough) – Ned Stark. I know it's quite a big change, and “You know nothing, Jon Stark” doesn't sound the same anymore, but I guess it was the right decision to do so.
> 
> Anyways, back to today's chapter, Sam is finally here! I literally could not imagine Jon's first year at Hogwarts without his best buddy, so I had to come up with the right way to introduce him. Of course, you can expect him to pop up frequently in the next chapters. And as to Robb signing up for the Quidditch team: as evidenced by the title, Quidditch is going to be a rather huge part of this story, and by far the most painful one to write. Seriously. That said, I'm rather satisfied with the Quidditch chapters, and I hope that you will like them as well.
> 
> Next week: the try-outs + a few more important characters appear!


	5. The Chasers, The Beaters, The Keepers, The Seekers...

The next six days have passed rather quickly in anticipation of Thursday. As much as he didn't want to do it, with every single day Robb was getting more and more excited about the try-outs. He has always enjoyed watching the Quidditch matches, and maybe now that the occasion has come around, he would have the chance to actually play one himself? Well, first he had to get picked for the team, and he knew it was going to be tough to do so. After all, he surely wasn't the most popular person around. He wouldn't blame anyone on the ream for not wanting to have a person like him playing for Hufflepuff. Still, Robb couldn't deny he did have some talent for flying. Of course he was far from a professional player, but he wasn't bad either. If there was one thing that the Broomstick-gate has proven (besides how easy is it to make Robb a scapegoat), it was that he wasn't any worse than Ramsay when it comes to basics. The rest he could learn in the team, on the basis that they've accepted him. Who knows? Maybe with time he could become a really good player and wash off the stain he put on his name with his previous misdeeds? Maybe Quidditch really was his last shot at redemption? Maybe if he wins the House Cup for the house, everyone, including his friends, would realize he's a changed man now?

Hufflepuff was the last of the houses to have their try-outs, as it usually was with those who earned the last place in the past year. By now, the new line-ups of Gryffindor and Slytherin teams have been announced, with Ravenclaw being to join them any minute. Just a moment after the green colored piece of paper has been hung in the library, Robb came to check if his predictions were true. Indeed, they were. From now on, Ramsay was officially the new Beater of the Slytherin Quidditch Team, with Locke joining him on the same position. Apparently, Theon's older cousin – Euron and his friend have been playing there for few years now, and now that they were gone, they had to search for new ones. That made things a little bit more complicated for Robb, since making a direct victory over Ramsay would not be easy with them playing on different positions. He could've always tried out for a Beater, but he knew very well that unpopular kids and potentially harmful Quidditch bats do not go hand in hand. Besides, he really wanted to become a Seeker just like his father. Beating Ramsay wasn't the only reason he wanted to get to the Quidditch team. It was just a sweet hypothetical reward.

Finally, the day has come. Ever since waking up Robb couldn't think of anything else. For breakfast he has eaten the amount of pancakes almost twice his size before Jon and Sam's eyes. The tubby Ravenclaw has by now become a frequent guest at their table.

  * Wow – he said, not taking his eyes off the brown-haired boy – you must be really hungry.




Robb just smiled, wondering how Sam would react if he saw him truly hungry. Today's appetite was simply a product of excitement and heightened anxiety.

  * He's having try-outs today, Chubbs – Theon, who has decided to join the three of them this morning, snarked back. - He better eat well. We don't want him passing out six metres above the ground.



  * Stop calling him that – Jon snapped at the blond.




Throughout the one week they've spent together, he has grown really protective of the boy. It has surprised Robb, as it was highly unlike his little brother. He's always had trouble making contact with other, and now, after barely six days of being friends with Sam, he would literally kill for him.

  * Calm down – Theon replied in annoyance – don't be such a buzzkill. Tarly knows I'm just joking around, right?

  * Um... - the boy started – actually, I-

  * See? He's fine and so should you, Stark.




The dark-haired boy only narrowed his eyes haatefully, and then went back to stabbing clods of his scrambled eggs with his fork. Usually, Robb would've been worried to see two of his best friends exchanging rude remarks with each other, but today his mind was occupied by something else. Quiddittch.

After the final lesson, double Transifguration with the Slytherins, has ended Robb ran out of the classroom and headed off towards the Quidditch Pitch as soon as possible, followed by Theon, who insisted on joining him on his way there.

  * Hey – he said, putting his hand on the brown-haired boy's shoulder – I want to be there for my friend. Besides, it may be the last time I see you before you leave me for a bunch of popular kids.




There both of them laughed wholeheartedly. Yeah, as if any popular kids would've wanted to be friends with Robb. Theon was the coolest of them all, and he wasn't planning on leaving him anytime soon.

As Robb entered the door leading to the male section of the locker room, he was hit by a strong odour of sweaty male bodies. He could've only imagined how much it must stink there after every match, as the whole team goes inside to have some well deserved rest... he loved it already. It may have sounded weird, but he did. This debilitating stench was a stench of victory. He couldn't wait until he gets picked for the team. Then it will be him, who comes back all sweaty and stinky after a successful face-off with the Slytherins. For now, however, he was still merely a candidate, standing in front of the locker room, drawing stares from the twelve other candidates. He wasn't going to get in, was he?

  * Hi everyone – Robb said shyly, only to be greeted by a loud _“close the door”_ courtesy of one of the guy's present in there.




Hufflepuff sighed, disappointed with his low social status, and then walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He knew most of the people in here already. He didn't know all of them by names, but he could easily recognize the faces of other students in here. For example, on the right, close to the entrance, with dark-hair and sandy skin tone was Rakharo. He was two years older than Robb, but he had already played one match last year as a substitute. Apparently, those who had already made it into the team, also had to stand through the try-outs. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Robb noticed yet another familiar face. Harrion Karstark – Torrhen's older brother. They only had a brief talk last year, but from what he's seen, the boy seemed rather nice. Despite the two-year age difference, he really resembled his brother. Despite being heavier built than him, both of them have been very tall and had short blonde hair. Right next to him stood Torrhen. Luckily the boy didn't seem to be paying a lot of attention towards Robb, busy talking with his brother.

  * The sweaters are in the back – he heard suddenly.




The Hufflepuff jumped up in surprise, only to find Loras smirking at him, proud to have scared him one more time.

  * I should really just tie a tiny bell to your leg, just so that I could hear you coming – Robb said, to which the other boy reacted with a chuckle.

  * So, you're going to try out for this season?

  * Yeah, looks like it – the brown-haired boy replied.

  * Good luck then, but just so you know, it's highly competitive. On the other hand, you do have a slight experience with flying already, so you might stand a chance here - that said he winked to annoy his younger friend. - Now hurry up, before there's nothing else left for you to play in... well, unless you would like to be playing shirtless, of course.




As much as Robb wouldn't like to do that, it was starting to look like it was the only option. In the box he found nothing that would fit him well. There were about five sweaters surely meant for the seventh-years, in which the boy could literally drown and one smaller size, which was surely too small for anyone in here to wear. As slim as Robb was, by no means could he fit into it. Luckily for him, on the ground near the box, he found one more yellow-colored jersey and this one fitted him nearly perfectly. It was a bit too big, but it could've always been worse. He could've always been playing shirtless. As if he needed any more attention.

  * Aw... don't you look adorable, Stark? - said Theon from behind the wall, as Robb walked out of the locker room in his new Quidditch jersey.

  * What are you still doing here? - he asked the boy. - The try-outs are about to start any minute.




He expected the Slytherin to be long gone by that time, but it seemed like he didn't have the slightest desire to go anywhere.

  * I've told you that I'll be there for you, haven't I? - the blond replied. - Did you really think I'll just let you go into a crowd of Hufflepuffs who clearly hate you by yourself? No, not happening.




Despite the pleasant feeling of warmth inside of his chest, Robb wasn't too convinced if that was a good idea. After all, he knew how people usually reacted when they saw the two of them together. Apparently, they found Theon partially guilty for the boy's sudden face-heel turn. It was stupid, but these were teenagers we're talking about. Robb really liked Theon and he didn't want to break up their friendship, because of something like that, but if he really wanted to get Torrhen and the rest back, maybe it was wiser not to rub his new buddy right in their faces.

  * Don't worry – he added, just as the Hufflepuff was about to say something. - I'll take the seat on the stands with everyone else who came to watch. I promise you won't even see me. How about that?

  * Well... - Robb pondered for a while, but eventually he agreed – yeah, I guess that would be no problem.

  * That's the spirit, big guy – he said, playfully bumping his fist into his friend's shoulder. - Kick their asses.

  * I'll try to.




That said, Theon gave him one more confident smile and walked off towards the seats, where, indeed, few other students have been sitting already, waiting for the try-outs to start. It looked like Robb's miserable failure was going to be witnessed by a way bigger number of people than he initially expected.

In this moment, yet another person has left the locker room, and this one Robb knew quite well already. Even a bit too well for his own good. Ever since the beginning of the year, he didn't exchange a single word with Torrhen. Yeah, it might've sounded weird, considering they were sharing one room, but it was the truth. They didn't speak at all. At least Wendel, while still visibly pissed off by everything Robb's done in the previous year, still replied to him if asked directly. Torrhen, on the other hand, either pretended he doesn't hear anything or looked straight at the boy only to turn back a second later. Never before had Robb thought that the day his friend has finally shut up would come, but now that it did, he really wished it didn't happen. He could've expected that, though. Torr has always been a bit childish when it came to arguments (see: all of his fights with Wendel). Still, he truly missed the boy in all of his obnoxious glory. With him being around, Robb simply couldn't get bored, since in a minute something would break, fall into the ground or, sometimes, even explode. While they haven't been as close as he was with... let's say Talisa, he really wanted Torrhen to talk to him again and smile and... be Torrhen again. Unfortunately for him, there was only one way he could make that happen. Talk to him.

  * Hey – Robb said shyly, hoping for the blond to turn around.




He didn't, so the Hufflepuff said it once again, even louder.

  * Hey, Torrhen!




Now, that it was too late for him to deny that he's heard it, Torrhen has turned around eventually, looking at Robb with a puzzled expression.

  * Hi – he replied eventually.




Obviously he did not expect Robb to have enough nerve to talk to him after all that had happened between them.

  * So – the Stark boy continued – you're trying out for the team too, huh?

  * Yeah – Torrhen replied, still suspicious and rather distant towards his roommate – I'd like to be a Beater for the team.

  * A beater? - Robb asked. - That's so cool. Your brother was a Beater last year, wasn't he?

  * Yes, he was... th-that's actually why I'm trying out today.

  * Oh, okay... I get it.




And with that being said, the conversation has quickly come to a halt. Both of the boys have clearly felt uncomfortable in each other's presence. Still, Robb was not planning on giving up anytime soon. How long was it going to be before he gets another chance to talk to Torrhen? If both of them don't make the team, there was a chance of it lasting at least until summer. Robb didn't want to wait that long for a resolution to come. Torrhen was his friend, and he wanted him back now. Not a year later.

  * So, Loras – Robb began, only to be interrupted by a sudden scream from the middle of the Quidditch pitch.

  * All candidates present, please, gather round!




The captain didn't have to wait too long for the response, as Torrhen turned back immediately and ran off towards the middle of the pitch, where everyone else has already been waiting. Robb sighed, unsatisfied with how his first official attempt at talking to anyone of his old has gone. He turned around to take a look towards the stands, where Theon has already taken seat at. The Slytherin boy gave him a quizzical look, to which Robb replied by shrugging his shoulders, and then he walked off towards the rest of players assembled in the middle.

  * Finally – Loras whispered to the boy, as he squeezed himself into a line, between him and some other older guy. - What took you so long? Brienne doesn't like when people are late.

  * Brienne? - the boy asked, but the answer came from someone else.

  * Good evening to everyone gathered around here – said a girl, standing in front of everyone, holding a notepad in her hands.




Apparently, this was Brienne. Robb knew her by sight. She was one of the older Hufflepuffs. He didn't know her exact age, but he could've guessed she's in her sixth or seventh grade. The first thing Robb noticed about her was her height. Brienne was easily the tallest person out of everyone on the pitch, and mind you, that most of these were older guys. Her face revealed a huge amount of maturity, uncommon amongst most of the youngsters, which made Robb feel respectful of her even if he hasn't met her yet. Her blonde hir has been cut short, which, along with her rough features, made her look quite manly. She wasn't ugly by any means, but Robb wouldn't have described her as strikingly beautiful. She was a very handsome woman, if that word could've been used to describe a person of female gender.

  * To those of you who don't know me yet – she said loudly and clearly – my name is Brienne Tarth and I'm a fifth year Hufflepuff student.




There a sound of whispering could've been heard amongst some of the candidates. Robb has also been surprised by that information. The girl definitely did not look like a fifth-year, at least a typical one. Brienne, however, ignored the reactions and continued as if nothing happened at all.

  * Our previous captain, Robett Glover, has asked me to captain our team after his departure from the school, a position which I have accepted with all gratitude. I can promise you that I will aspire to be a good leader, firm and hard-working, but also understanding and supportive for those of you who make it. I will gladly accept all constructive critique coming from you and try my best to make sure our entire house is proud of us.




As she spoke, Robb could feel some sort of chivalrous, knightly aura coming from the older girl. She seemed like a prefect fit for their next team captain, since everyone and their mother knew they need a good one so badly.

  * Now – she continued – I'd like to make sure you guys warm up properly. I wouldn't want any of you to get a cramp during the try-outs.




It was a good advice, seeing as the try-outs with Brienne weren't going to be that easy. After the stretching has ended, the girl commanded everyone to do five laps around the pitch as a way of warming up. No one has measured the time, but that didn't stop few of the candidates from making it into a competition. Robb, on the other hand, has tried to stick to the middle of the group, not to stick out too much from the rest. After all, he has already had an experience with broom racing last year, and it hasn't ended too well for him. By looking at the fastest of the bunch, however, he could've easily given all of them a run for their money. That was the fastest they could go? He and Ramsay have maneuvered between the Whomping Willow's branches quicker than they flew in a straight line. His racing time's were over, though, and he'd really rather not do that on a partially fallen apart old Shooting Star. Sadly, he could not bring his Tigresa with him to the try-outs as Brienne wanted to give everyone a fair shot at getting into the team. Fair enough. Robb understood it... still, he could've easily kicked those guys' butts when it comes to broom racing.

Right afterwards came the Seeker and Keeper try-outs. When it came to the first ones, Rakharo has left the rest of the competition in the dust by catching the Golden Snitch in barely three minutes after it got released. It was a huge win for him, seeing as the person with the next best time has been almost twice as slow as him.

  * So what, Brienne? - he asked joyfully, after having completed his try-outs. - Am I still on the team?

  * You'll find out when the results get announced – the girl responded in a strict voice.




Yeah, Brienne clearly wasn't the most chilled-out person around. When it came to Keepers, though, it was a bit of a though competition, as Loras and one of those jerks who flew in front of the group during the warm up, seemed to be going hand in hand. Eventually, the blond has managed to save two more shots than the other boy, but it wasn't clear, who the winner of the battle was.

  * You've done great – Robb said sympathetically, laying his hand on Loras's shoulder.

  * I know – he replied with a smug smile.




It seemed like Loras didn't need much sympathy from anyone.

Next up were the Beaters. To no surprise, Harrion Karstark has easily wiped out the competition, being the only one of the players who didn't get hit by a Bludger a single time. Ramsay was going to have a hard time beating the strong Hufflepuff. As every single other contender has stood its turn, it was time for Torrhen to try his best on the pitch.

  * Good luck – Robb said, as the blond was leaving.




Torrhen just shot him another surprised look and flew off on his magnificent, duct-tape fixed Shooting Star, without saying a word. Yeah, Robb felt as if someone has punched him right in the gut... using a metal bludgeon. Safe to say it didn't feel to pleasant.

As Torrhen has raised himself to over three feet into the air, a loud yet incomprehensible yell could've been heard from the stands. As Robb turned around, he noticed all of his Hufflepuff friends cheering for Torrhen from the audience. All of them were here. Podrick, Wendel, Bethany, Talisa, who had her hair tied into that pretty braid again with a single strand of hair falling loosely onto her forehead... all of them! What if they were going to stay for Robb's try-out as well? He didn't want them to see it. What if he messes up? He hasn't even sat on his broomstick yet, and he felt sick already.

The first Bludger went flying straight towards Torrhen, and just as Robb was thinking he would unfortunately have one less person he needed to worry about, he hit it, sending it flying right back onto the other side of the pitch. Even louder cheering could've been heard from the stands as the young Karstark succeeded time after time. Eventually, he ended his try-out only missing the Bludger once, yet he didn't even get knocked out by it. At this point, it was rather obvious who the new Beaters of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team were going to be.

Then came time for the Chasers, easily the biggest group out of all the others, and also the one where Robb was. Now that he knew Talisa and the rest of his friends were there, he was even more nervous than he was before. In the back of his mouth, he could feel the faint taste of the pancakes he has eaten for breakfast this morning, suddenly regretting the decision to eat so many of them. He could've only imagined how quickly would the news spread around the school if he got sick in the middle of his try-out. Still, he knew he had to do it. He owed it to everyone. His family, his friends, his house, he was doing it for all of them. Maybe last year he wasn't the best human being around, but he wanted it to change, and he was going to do anything he can to make up for everything bad he's done. Besides, he just wanted to squash Ramsay on the pitch so badly. Why couldn't the odds be in his favor just this one time?

Ironically, the first thing Brienne has tasked the new Chasers with was something he knew he's rather good at. Yup, apparently his racing days were not over yet. As much as he regretted ever getting into that awful competition with Ramsay, he couldn't deny that it was nice to finally see some upsides to the situation. From what Brienne has told them, they were going to speed past the five laps around the pitch and get to the finish line as soon as possible. No tackling was allowed this time (not that they've set up any rules with Ramsay), and no getting of track, which translated to “no trips towards the Whomping Willow”. That has definitely made Robb's job way easier.

As Brienne said “go”, all the contenders pushed themselves off the edge of the ground and into the skies, trying to gain the lead as quickly as it was only possible. For some of them, including two other jerks Robb first noticed at the warm up, it paid off, while some others have quickly lost the momentum and fell behind the others. Robb, on the other hand, was one of the few players who have started off a bit more slowly, been clinging to the middle of the group, slowly getting closer to the front. It stayed like that for the first two circles, with the boy gradually outspeeding one player after another. By the time the third lap has started, a tight leading group was formed, with a huge advantage over the rest of contenders. The frontrunners, besides Robb and those two guys in the front, have been Daryn Hornwood, a fifth-year student and a good friend of Harrion Karstark, and a girl, whose name the boy could not remind himself of. She had a dark skin tone, wore her long black hair in a low ponytail, and was apparently a really capable Chaser, so much that by the end of the third lap she took over the young Hufflepuff and flew straight towards the current leaders, ready to overtake them.

Luckily for her, the effect of boys' sprint at the very beginning was starting to show off in form of a slight twitching in the broom's handle. Seeing that, one of them has slowed down, quickly getting left behind by the other four players. Soon enough, the other one has also started to show signs of weakness, but it looked like he wasn't planning on giving up anytime soon, despite the dark-haired girl clearly going for the lead. In the back, howerer, Robb was having other problems as Daryn Hornwood was slowly starting to catch up with him. Seeing that, the boy did just as he did barely a year ago with Ramsay, reclining his body to a near horizontal position in hope of gaining enough speed to increase the distance between them. Just like the last time, it seemed to be working out just fine for him.

With the fourth lap having began, the current leader has fallen behind the dark-haired girl, creating a huge empty spot between them. Now that was an occasion Robb could not let go to waste. Within a minute he gained enough momentum to successfully outspeed the second of the jerks and get closer to front of the race. Now, the only thing he had on his mind was to defeat the girl in front of him. Daryn was still a threat, but a lesser one, seeing as the distance between him and Robb has grown even larger. Luckily, Robb had a plan. A plan so foolproof that it could not have failed. The rest of the fourth lap he spent getting closer to the current leader, at one point nearly being able to reach the end of her broom. As the fifth and the final lap began, everyone back down has probably been thinking the same thing: _“why won't he just pass her?! He'd gain the lead and win!”._ Well, let's not forget that Robb had a plan.

For the entire first half he's been doing nothing to outspeed the girl, merely tailgating her. While some may have called it stupidity, Robb knew that what he's doing might benefit him in the long run. He didn't want to lose his strength, just so that his rival could outspeed him right before the finish line. That was his job, not hers... wow, how could someone with a mind like that do so many stupid things last year? Anyways, soon both of the players have reached the halfway point of the pitch, meaning that the real battle has only just began. The girl in front of Robb looked back at him, and, noticing his closeness, she flew off towards the finish line as quickly as possible. The boy tried going for the horizontal position trick once again, but it wasn't going to gain him much advantage with the girl doing it as well. Robb could just hope that starting a bit earlier would give him enough momentum to fly past the girl and win the first part of try-outs. Only few more inches have separated the two Chasers from the finish line. By now they were flying almost hand in hand, with the girl still having the slightest lead over the boy. With the last bit of force he could bring out in himself, Robb closed his eyes and bent over as hardly as he could, desperately hoping that it will be enough for him to win. And you know what?

He did. He won the first part of the try-outs. Sadly, he only realized this after he opened his eyes and noticed the end of his broomstick headed straight towards the ground. Only after a few inches has Robb stopped his epic slide through the pitch, probably ripping off the entire grass in the area. A collective choir of gasps could've been heard from both the stands and middle of the courtyard. It must've looked really bad from their perspective. Luckily, for a fall so unpleasant as that, it didn't hurt Robb so much. Maybe it was thanks to the adrenaline rush in his veins after having arrived first at the finish line? And even if it was going to start hurting when he gets back from the pitch – screw it! It was worth it!

As Robb has tried to pick himself off the ground, he noticed a long, slender arm extended out to help him get up. When he looked up, he noticed no one else but the dark-skinned brunette looking at him with a warm smile.

  * Good job, kid – she said – but next time work on the landing.




Robb just smiled and nodded his head in embarrassment, as he brushed down the dirt from his yellow Quidditch sweater. Indeed, there was a huge hole of his shape left on the side of the pitch. Oh well, it would grow back eventually. At least he hoped so. As Robb and the older Chaser girl headed off towards the rest of the team, he took a quick look back at the stands, where a very worried Theon was looking at him with concern in his eyes, and shot him a proud smile and a thumbs-up gesture. Maybe in the end he would make it to the team?

Or perhaps not? The following challenge has proven itself to be way harder that the first one. After all, anyone could fly fast. That didn't mean he has what it takes to become a Chaser. While speed was important on the pitch, only combined with accuracy could it really make for a good Quidditch player. Due to his young age, Robb wasn't really experienced in that aspect. The whole thing with Ramsay may have helped him perfect his flying abilities, but all of that was completely useless when it came to scoring goals. The order in which their individual sessions would go was based on the results of the previous part, with the worst ones going first. It meant that Robb was going to have to sit through all of the other people's try-outs first, which really didn't help his case. He was beginning to feel like the luck he had during the broom race has ran out completely by now.

Of course, the first few of the bunch have been completely hopeless, instantly failing both tests. However, as time went on, he noticed that some of the weakest players when it came to speed, have been doing rather well now. This has really brought him home the fact that there was way more to Quidditch than just flying. It was possible to be good at one thing, but suck completely at the other. What if Robb was also like that? What if instead of redeeming for his actions, he would only make himself an even bigger laughing stock than he already was? He was nervous. No, not nervous. This was getting far beyond nervous. There wasn't even a good word to describe how Robb was feeling right now. As he looked down, he noticed his hands twitching slightly. Great, that was the only thing he needed before the most important try-out of his life.

  * Robb Stark? - he heard the captain calling, just as the runner-up of the previous task has landed on the ground.




Yeah, there was no denying that the girl was good. Out of all the participants, she was the only one who has managed to score a point every single time. She was clearly going to get in. The rest hasn't been doing so well, with most of the ones who have done well the last time, now failing completely. The only other person who has been doing quite a good job so far was Daryn Hornwood, who has finished third during the race and scored four out of five goals. He has also been a strong contender for the team. There was a reason for Robb to be worried.

  * Are you Robb Stark? - Brienne asked as the boy got onto the middle of the pitch.

  * Yes – he replied.

  * Well, congratulations on winning the race. It's not so easy to do that, especially at your age.

  * I know.

  * However – she continued with a suspicious look on her face – I'm not sure if you would do well as a part of the team. You know, in this sport it's really important to work together, as a group.




Yeah, apparently the news of Robb's misdeed haven't escaped Brienne's attention, if it hasn't been made clear already. It really hurt him to see how little trust did people have in him these days. Normally, he would just run away and most likely lock himself in the bathroom, trying to calm himself down, but he knew he had to get into the team, no matter how much it would take.

  * I would do great – he replied. - I know how to work in a team, I swear.

  * For now, let's see how many goals can you score. Then we'll think.




Robb nodded his head with a smile, to what Brienne responded by raising her eyebrow at the boy and then scribbled something down in her notepad. Normally something like that would've resulted in him having a meltdown in the middle of the pitch, but now he was only even more motivated to do as good as possible. He must've proven them all that was not the person everyone thought he was. In order to do that, however, he had to make it through the try-outs. Robb pushed himself out of the ground and flew right to the starting position.

Here's how it was supposed to look like. This challenge was going to test not only their accuracy, but also manual abilities. Robb was going to start flying from the opposite side of the pitch, where, halfway through, Brienne would throw him the Quaffle. He must've caught it in the mid-air and shot in right into one of the goal posts. It may have sounded simple, but many of the candidates couldn't even catch the ball, let alone score a goal. One of those two who led the group in the beginning of the first challenge only caught it once, before flying straight into one of the stands. Yeah, it was safe to say he won't be getting on the team anytime soon.

The first try didn't go too well. To his own surprise, Robb managed to catch the Quaffle without a problem, which may have seemed like a good omen for him, but as he threw the ball, it ended up flying right into the edge of the right goal post. As he looked down at the crowd beneath him, he noticed how everyone seemed to be loosing interest in him. Just another mildly talentless second-year trying to make it onto the team. This has only further motivated the boy, which resulted in his three next attempts being way more successful, as all three times a goal has been scored. He wasn't even sure how did it happen, but he couldn't deny that it did. As of right now, he was one of the players, who have done rather good in the second challenge, and keeping in mind, that he won the first part, he may have had an actual chance at getting in... or rather may have had before the last attempt, which he failed miserably, with the Quaffle flying straight into the free space between the middle and the last goal post. Yeah, he was done here.

  * Okay, everyone – Brienne said, as Robb landed and joined rest of the group. - Thank you all for showing up to the try-outs. The list of those, who have been picked for the team should be revealed by Saturday morning. You're free to go now.




Immediately the crowd around has filled itself with excited, hormone-fueled chattering, but Robb wasn't in a mood to talk to anyone. He messed up his only chance at redemption. How was he going to prove everyone that he has changed? Okay, maybe the second part didn't go as bad as he expected, but did it go well enough for him to get picked for the team? One Chaser spot has already been occupied by Brienne, with the second one surely going to the dark-haired girl. There was also a third one, but let's face it. If Brienne had to pick between Robb and Daryn, she would definitely pick the latter one. After all, he was only slightly slower than the boy, and didn't get on his house's bad side by lying to his parents about being a Gryffindor. Ugh, wasn't he just the worst?!

  * Hey, Robb – Loras said, catching up with the boy. - Nice job at the pitch.

  * But not nice enough to get into the team – he replied sadly.

  * Hey – the blond grabbed Robb by the shoulder, trying to grab his attention – don't say that. You really are good. Did you see the rest? This red-haired one flew into a stand. The other one hit himself in the face with the Quaffle, while trying to catch it. Who's going to take your place? The two of them? Don't be ridiculous. Besides, even if you don't get in to the main team, there's always the substiture-

  * There you are! - yelled someone all of a sudden.




As Robb turned around, all that he could see was a grey smudge nearly tackling Loras off his feet and into a tight hug. To be honest, whoever that was, he was kind of thankful to him since he was really not in the mood to talk to anyone.

  * See?! - the boy said, tousling Loras's blonde mane of hair. - I've told you you'll do great! Haven't I told you?! Haven't I told you?!

  * Fuck off, Renly – the Hufflepuff replied. - Don't you see I'm talking to someone?




Only then did the boy notice Robb standing right next to them, watching them with a confused expression. Renly seemed to be the same age as Loras, or maybe slightly older than him. He had dark, crew cut hair and warm light brown eyes. He had to be quite gutsy, considering that if Robb has decided to do something like that to Loras, he would probably find himself hanging face-down out of the Astronomy Tower window. However, despite his courage, the tie around his neck was green-and-silver, proving him a Slytherin.

  * May I be damned – he said, fixing his gaze on the younger boy. - Is that Ned Stark's baby son?

  * Probably – Loras answered with a shrug – don't know his father's name. Renly, this is Robb Stark. Robb, that jerk over here is Renly Baratheon, a friend of mine.

  * Well – he began, passing his hand to the brown-haired boy – I must congratulate you on today. It's not often that the newbies do so well at the try-outs.

  * Thank you, I guess – Robb replied, slightly abashed by the compliments – but I don't think I'm going to get in anyway.

  * See? - Loras asked his friend. - He's always like that.



  * Well, I think you have pretty big chances at getting in – Renly said to the younger Hufflepuff with a smile – Brienne would be stupid to waste a talent like that. I mean, you're in your second year, and you've done almost as well as Hornwood in the try-outs. That's really impressive... besides, I'm fairly certain your team captain has a thing for me, so I could just talk to her about it.




That said he winked towards the boy, but just as Robb was about to decline the offer politely, Loras cut in with a comment.

  * Oh my God! Brienne does _not_ have a thing for you! How many times do I have to say this?!




Robb couldn't help but notice a hint of bitterness in Loras's voice, quite unusual for his usual snarky remarks. Renly probably caught that too, as he turned back towards his friend with a confident smile.

  * Don't be a jealous prick. You know very well that my heart is big enough for both of you.




Having heard that, Loras rolled his eyes and pushed Renly off, to the Slytherin's amusement.

  * What? Am I not right? - he asked, then turning back towards Robb – Anyways, don't lose faith just yet, Robb. I'm pretty sure you might be surprised at the results... and now excuse me, but I've promised to take your friend out on a date after the try-outs have ended.



  * Oh, screw you – Loras said, before nudging Renly right in his stomach and walking off grumpily.

  * Loras, don't be like that – the Slytherin said, following right behind him.




Having been left alone, Robb sighed deeply and walked off towards the stands, where Theon was still waiting for him.

  * How was it? - he asked, seemingly in a good mood.

  * Let's just go have something to eat – Robb replied reluctantly and walked off towards the castle.

  * Got it – Theon nodded his head quickly and followed right behind him.




Well, if he wasn't going to get on the team, there was nothing stopping him from having a huge, chocolate and chips based dinner tonight. After all, Renly couldn't have been right. There was no way they were going to choose him instead of Hornwood. Wasn't there?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the late update. It's been only three weeks since the school year has begun, and it's already proven itself to be quite a bitch. Seriously, I'm so done both physically and emotionally and it's barely the beginning. That is why I think I'm going to cut my chapter notes short, since I simply don't have much time to write them as long as I've did. That said, Renly you can also expect to pop up a bit more often. After all, there is Renly/Loras relationship tag used in this fic, and I wouldn't tease him throughout the last few chapters only for him to disappear right afterwards. If there are any serious mistakes in this chapter, please do tell me. I'll fix them right away.
> 
> Next week: yet another episode of "Lysa's Crazy Rants" and the results of the try-outs.


	6. Scream Bloody Murder

Uncle Benjen has always been a tough person to keep up with. You'd think he's in the Netherlands, and suddenly you find out he went on an expedition to Indonesia. You'd think he'd come back for the summer, and then you find out he went to the Arctic. You'd think he's safe, and then he writes you a letter detailing how great inside of an active volcano looked like. It's a miracle the man was still alive. You'd probably also think that now, when he was in the very same building as Robb, it would be easier for the boy to stay in touch with him. Wrong! Apparently ever since the beginning of the year professor Stark has had a lot of work to do and simply didn't have much time to meet with him. Of course, it's not like they haven't spokeon to each other at all. After all, he was still Robb's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Still, he didn't have too much of free time to offer to his nephew. Well, at least until now.

  * So, did you get in? - Jon asked, as the two brothers were moving up the staircase towards the teacher's room.

  * I don't know – Robb replied. - They still haven't hung up the results.




By now, the Hufflepuff has grown to be really worried over them. The entire line-up was supposed to be revealed by this morning. Still, nothing came. Robb has already visited the library about five times, just to check if the yellow piece of paper has already been hanging on the announcement's board, to no result. Brienne didn't seem like a person to neglect her duties, which must've meant she was facing a tough choice, and as the Seeker, the Keeper and the Beaters have been pretty obvious, it was clear that it was about the Chasers. One thing was for sure, Brienne filled the first spot. Next was probably the dark-haired girl, who came right after Robb in the first part of the tryouts. But who was going to be the last one? Daryn Hornwood was obviously a very skilled player, but Robb still couldn't get rid of the hope that maybe, just maybe, Brienne has seen something inside of him and decided to place him in the team. It was stupid, but he it was all that was keeping him sane for the moment. He blamed Renly Baratheon for that. The Slytherin has awoken the tiny spark of hope in him, which simply refused to go out for whatever reason.

  * Well, what are they waiting for? - the Gryffindor asked, annoyed on his brother's behalf.

  * A better player maybe? - Robb joked, with a half-hearted chuckle.

  * I think you'll get in – the younger boy said eventually. - I saw you flying. They would be stupid not to take you.

  * Well, sometimes people tend to do far more stupid things than anyone could expect of them - the Hufflepuff added sadly, before asking – and how about you? How are you doing? Did you make any new friends?

  * Yeah, I guess I have... I mean, the guys from my room are quite nice. I guess I like Grenn... Pyp- I mean, Pypar is cool too. He's from Hufflepuff... and there's Sam, of course.

  * I see you and Sam have gotten pretty close? - Robb smiled towards his brother.

  * I think so – Jon replied. - I mean, I wouldn't call us best friends forever just yet, but he's quite nice. I think that eventually he and I could become-




He was about to say something more, but ha loud yell coming from the other side of the hallway has effectively cut him off. Due to the echo it wasn't really comprehensible, but it was clear that someone was very upset wth something. For some reason, Robb couldn't help but feel that he could recognize that voice from somewhere. It was just so shrill, so unpleasant, so annoying... and so familiar to him at the same time.

  * What was that? - the younger brother asked.

  * Someone's unhappy – Robb replied, as the boys followed in the direction of the sound.




Luckily for them, the shouting didn't stop and only kept growing louder as they followed down the corridor, right until they've reached the office of professor Stark. Robb looked at his brother, visibly confused by whatever was going on. Then the yelling commenced again.

  * Cut it, Stark! I know you're up to something!




Now the boy didn't have any trouble recognizing the person speaking. Imagine trying to drive a nail into the wall... using a live chicken instead of a hammer. Such was the screech the headmistress Arryn was well-known for in the entire school. Still, Robb was confused. What was professor Arryn doing in his uncles' office, and why would she even talk to him like that? Why did uncle Benjen let her do so?

  * What is it, Robb? - came the question from the younger boy.

  * It's aunt Lysa – he replied.

  * Aunt Lysa? What is she doing in here?

  * I don't know – Robb said quickly.




Then the screaming resumed, even louder than before. Whatever it was about, something must've really pissed professor Arryn off. Not that it was anything out of ordinary. Aunt Lysa would go into a frenzy over a lot of things, especially when it involved Robb in some way. She obviously felt nothing but pure hatred towards him, and surely she must've had a good reason to do so. What was it? How could he make up for his wrong-doings? He had no idea. However, the woman didn't seem to fazed by her nephew's lack of knowledge. She revelled in the boy's confusion, helplessness, and clearly enjoyed keeping him on her mercy. Honestly, if Robb had to make a list of the most evil people in the school, professor Arryn would easily top the list, with Ramsay as a close runner up. That said, the Slytherin was nowhere close the sadistic levels to which aunt Lysa has escalated. He was just a jerk. A bully. There was plenty of those around here. Professor Arryn, however, was fully unique in her villainy.

  * You Starks and your damned honour! Do you think I don't know you?! You and your brothers have always been a bunch of crap, and everyone could see it! Everyone except for my sister, of course! So don't you dare tell me I have no honour!




Then a more pleasant, deeper voice, presumably one belonging to professor Stark could've been heard. Robb couldn't understand what he said, but it sounded like he wanted to keep him calm and be reasonable about it. Bad move.

  * My husband has been murdered! - the red-haired woman yelled, putting emphasis on the every last word. - I deserve at least a little bit of respect from that title! Don't you think?!

  * Murdered? - Jon asked as quietly as he could. - I thought he had died of a stroke.

  * He had – Robb replied, shocked by professor Arryn's words.




Jon Arryn? Murdered? How? Why? How was that even possible? Everyone said it was a stroke. How did she know headmaster Arryn was murdered? Did she make it all up? It would've made sense... but what if she didn't? What if she was right? After all, what reasons did she have to lie?

  * Let's get out of here – Robb said in a moment of sudden realization. - We don't want her to see us here when she comes out.




Jon nodded his head quickly, and the brothers hid behind the next corner. Even Robb himself was surprised at his own quick thinking. He has never been good at that. Any other time, he would've probably stood there, trying to peep through the keyhole to get a better view of the situation, only for the door to slam right into his face.

Just as he expected, not even a minute later a very angry professor Arryn has stormed out of professor Stark's office. Thankfully the Stark boys haven't ended up in her way, since the woman would've clearly sent both of them home this time around. As she disappeared behind the corner, out of the room came out a very troubled looking uncle Benjen. Surely he wasn't too pleased with the headmistress's unexpected visit. The man stepped out into the middle of a corridor, took a deep breath, and the looked around as if he was searching for someone.

  * You can come out now, boys. The witch is gone.




Both of the boys have treated it as a sign to come out of their hiding. As they revealed themselves, uncle Benjen has sent a slightly forced if still warm smile their way. It was clear he wasn't in the best mood right now.

  * How long have you been standing there? - he asked his nephews.

  * About two minutes, I think – Robb replied, slightly embarassed by that situation.




Uncle Benjen surely would've preferred his nephews not to hear that. After all, if what aunt Lysa has said was true, Hogwart's previous headmaster, and their father's close friend has been brutally murdered. That was not the kind of information an eleven-year-old and a twelve-year-old should know of.

  * I'm sorry about that – the teacher said, also rather embarrassed by what just happened. - I didn't expect any other visitors, and surely not ones like that. Come inside.




Inside of the office, just as Robb expected, was a huge mess. Random bags, maps and postcards were laying everywhere. The boy wouldn't have been surprised if his uncle told him he hasn't even unpacked after coming back from the expedition. At least the desk was cleaned up well enough to be fully functional, only messed up currently by the sixth years' homeworks. Aside from that, the office has always been a rather pleasant place. Robb enjoyed visiting his uncle there, even if only to warm himself by the fireplace, laying on the weird, furry carpet-thing in front of it. They did have a fireplace in the Hufflepuff common room, a rather pleasant one at that, but he wasn't too keen on spending his free time there ever since everything went downhill for him.

  * So – the man said, once the boys have taken seats opposite him – how is the new school year going for you?




Both boys have reacted in a similar way, with a hesitant “meh.”

  * Well, it can only go uphill from now – uncle Benjen replied, and then took a look at Jon, or rather his red-and-gold Gryffindor tie. - I must say, no matter how glad I am, that Robb got into Hufflepuff, I'm glad to see at least one of my nephews following my footsteps.




This must've been a huge compliment to the boy, considering how, ever since he was a child, he has hero-worshipped uncle Benjen. Whenever a letter came from him, Jon would have to be the first person to read it. Even when his dad asked him who he wished to be in the future, there was only one correct answer to the question: “an explorer like uncle Benjen.”

  * How do you feel like being a Gryffindor? - the man asked.

  * It's quite cool, actually – the dark-haired boy replied. - The people are really nice. Actually, I was surprised, that I even got in, considering that Robb...




He bit his tongue before continuing the sentence, looking at his brother apologetically.

  * Sorry, I didn't-

  * No, it's okay – the Hufflepuff said with a smile. - I didn't get it. You did. Continue.




So he did, and for the next few minutes Jon and uncle Benjen did nothing else but talk about Gryffindor. Luckily, Robb didn't have a problem with it and felt happy that his younger brother got exactly where he wanted... okay, maybe he did have a tiny problem with it. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he felt a tiny sting of jealousy everytime he reminded himself that Jon got into Gryffindor instead of him. He knew it was irrational. He loved Jon to death, and he couldn't have been happier for him, but he still felt at least tiny bit jealous that his younger brother was essentially living the life he wanted to live, especially now that his own personal life was a ruin... God, he really was an awful person.

  * And how about your friends? - the uncle asked Jon eventually. - Did you make any yet?

  * A few, I guess – the boy said shyly.




Surely he must've felt at least a bit uncomfortable with the question. He's always been rather insecure about his shyness.

  * There's this one Ravenclaw boy he's friends with – Robb added, helping his younger brother out.

  * Really? - the teacher asked.

  * His name is Sam Tarly. Maybe you know him, uncle?

  * Yeah, I think I do – he replied. - He's this chubby little Ravenclaw?




Robb nodded his head yes.

  * Oh, he seems like a nice kid. He knows a lot.

  * Yes, he reads a lot of books – Jon added quietly.




Then uncle Benjen's bright blue eyes have shifted right onto Robb's face.

  * You I don't have to ask, right? - he asked. - You're still hanging out with that Greyjoy boy. Am I right?

  * Yes.

  * I have to say – the man continued – I was quite surprised to see how close the two of you have become, especially considering what Theon's family is like.




Hearing that Robb looked at his uncle with surprise. How did he know about Theon's family situation? He didn't tell him. He didn't tell anyone. How have both him and Ramsay found out about it? Was it some sort of well-known fact that only Robb didn't know about?

  * How do you know? - the boy asked.

  * Well, let's just say that Greyjoys are rather well known in the magic world – the tone he said it with, signalizing that they might not be the most popular family around. - But Theon's nice, isn't he?

  * Y-yes, he is – Robb said, quickly rising to his friend's defence. - He really is. I mean, he's my best friend.




Hearing that, uncle Benjen smiled warmly and chuckled under his nose.

  * He likes you too. You know that?

  * He does? - the nephew asked.




Technically he shouldn't be surprised, but the last year has rendered Robb's self-esteem so low that now he had to ask twice about things like that. Besides, there still remained the case of the letters to which Theon didn't reply, which seemed to be making even less sense with each passing day.

  * I think he does, maybe even more than you would think he does – the teacher replied. - I know Theon quite well too, I have lessons with him after all, and he seems like a good kid. Maybe a bit lazy, but nonetheless good. I was actually surprised to see him grow up like that, considering his... hm... complicated upbringing, but he seems like a genuinely good person. A loyal one too, which he has proven when he stood up for you in the headmaster's office. That was quite impressive.

  * Yeah, it was – Robb nodded.

  * I'm glad to see you have someone like that. You may have all the courage in the world, but without people who care about you, you're nothing.




People who care about you? Robb liked Theon. He really did. They were best friends, after all. Yet, after all that has happened between them, he still felt quite weird in his presence. If Theon really cared about him the way uncle Benjen said he did, then why wouldn't he even answer him during the summer? Robb was slowly starting to regret stopping him back then in the train. At least he would've had the answer by now. Currently, he had nothing. He liked Theon, but he couldn't help, but notice a slight disproportion in how much both of them put into their friendship.

Luckily for Robb, the next topics his uncle has covered have been way more pleasant than what they've been talking about currently. As promised, uncle Benjen told the boy all about his expedition to Iceland, and what happened afterwards, including a gigantic storm he has got caught up in. Apparently, tiny boats and enormous waves don't go well together. For a while it seemed like it was summer all over again and it was just the three of them, laying in the tent in the backyard of the Starks' house. For a while Robb forgot about all the Ramsays and aunt Lysas of the world, focusing only on what uncle Benjen had to say to them. They've spent at least one and a half hours listening to the crazy stories about fantastic beasts from different sides of the world, but eventually it was time to go back to their real lives.

  * I'm sorry, kids – uncle Benjen said – but tomorrow's a school day too, and I wouldn't want any of you to get a Troll because of me. We'll talk again soon, I promise.

  * Don't worry, uncle – Jon replied. - We get it.

  * Well, goodnight then.




With that, the man was just about to lock the door, but he got stopped by a one more question from his nephew.

  * Uncle Benjen? - Robb asked, with a concerned look on his face.

  * Yes, Robb?

  * Did professor Arryn really get murdered?




The teacher seemed to be really surprised the boy might've even asked him a question like that. Robb couldn't deny feeling a bit weird having to ask his uncle about it, but he really wanted to know. Was Jon Arryn murdered? If so, why? By whom? Was there a reason for him be worried? Was Hogwarts safe for him and his friends?

  * I don't know, Robb – the man replied eventually. - You know aunt Lysa. She's never been exactly right in her head. She might've as well made it all up just for drama. I wouldn't take what she said too seriously.

  * Well... yeah - the boy said, unsure if he should continue or not – I know aunt Lysa, but she seemed serious this time. What if she's right? What if headmaster Jon-




He didn't finish, as uncle Benjen shushed him, effectively stopping his nephew for saying anything else.

  * Robb, look – he said, taking a look around the corridor – whatever happened to that man, is not my business, and neither it is yours. Forget about what you've heard today, just for your own good. That's not something kids like you should be concerned about, okay?




The Hufflepuff just nodded his head, ashamed that he even asked about it in the first place, as the teacher slammed the door to his office. Maybe he really should've kept his mouth shut? Uncle Benjen seemed really serious while talking about it. He didn't want to get him into even more trouble than he apparently was already in. What if the things professor Arryn said were true? What if Jon Arryn really got murdered? And what could uncle Benjen possibly be hiding from her? It made no sense to him.

  * Robb? - Jon asked, seemingly also worried about what just happened. - Maybe we should go now?

  * Oh, right – the brown-haired boy said, and then followed his brother down the corridor.




But his mind was still behind the corner, right next to his uncle's office, still wondering about everything professor Arryn has said could've meant to him. Jon Arryn was murdered? His uncle was up to something? His dad and his brothers were a pile of crap? Now these were brand-new informations. He wanted to stop thinking about it, get his mind to do anything else, but he couldn't. He simply didn't understand anything that's just happened. It wasn't until he reached the entrance to his dormitory, when he focused on something else.

  * Robb?!




As he turned around, he noticed Theon bolting right towards him right from the other side of the corridor with a huge smile on his face. Whatever has happened, it has clearly gotten him very excited.

  * Theon, what are you doing in here?

  * Robb – he said, as he reached the boy, without even stopping to take a breath – the list is up!

  * What?

  * The results of the try-outs! They're up!




A second later, they've already been speeding up the staircase, right towards the library, which, fortunately for both of them, was located on the first-floor. Robb was the first to reach the board, with Theon following right behind, clearly tired from all the running. The Hufflepuff immediately noticed the yellow piece of paper with words **“** HUFFLEPUFF QUIDDITCH TEAM TRY-OUT RESULTS” written on top of it in capital letters. Finally. After all the waiting, the final answer was hanging right in front of him. Only mere seconds separated him from finding out if he made it or not. He put his index finger on the list, taking a look at the names, hoping that his would be somewhere amongst them. It may sound stupid, but he felt inside of his heart that he must be somewhere in there. He might've not been perfect during the try-outs, but he wasn't bad either. He did win the first challenge, after all. Both Loras and Renly have said they were sure he would get in, and who knows? Maybe they were right? Maybe indeed, there was a chance that Robb may make it into the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team and finally get his good name back?

Or maybe not?

  * A substitute? - Robb asked, looking at the list with a dull expression.

  * See?! - Theon asked proudly, still panting from all the running he's done. - I've told you you would make it!




Indeed, listed under the label “SUBSTITUTES” was his name, with “Chaser” written next to it in brackets. Technically, he _did_ make it, just not to the main team. Right as he expected, the three Chaser positions have been taken by Brienne, Irri (the dark-haired girl he met during the try-outs) and Daryn Hornwood. Rest of the team wasn't a surprise either. Rakharo remained the Seeker for yet another year, after proving he was more than capable of doing that. Both Torrhen and Harrion have qualified for the Beater positions, first of them becoming the youngest member of the team so far. The last spot was given to Loras, who luckily has managed to beat his rival during the try-outs. Then there was the substitutes list, containing of five other students, who have done well enough to get into the team, but not well enough to get into the main seven. So, purely technically, Robb got what he wanted. From now on he was officially a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team. However, he couldn't deny that he feelt a bit disappointed in himself. He didn't believe Renly that he might make it, but he did have a tiny spark of hope that it could happen. Now the spark was gone. Robb sighed deeply, sitting down on the floor, right underneath the board of announcements, and burying his face into his knees.

  * What's wrong?! - Theon asked, surprised to see that kind of reaction from his friend. - You've made it! You're on the team!

  * I'm on the substitute list – Robb growled quietly, not showing his face to the boy.

  * So what? You're still going to play, right?

  * And what if I don't? - he asked, raising his head to look Theon into the eyes. - Everyone hates me. My friends don't even want to talk to me. This team was the last chance to prove everyone I've changed, and now it's gone.




Robb has kind of expected Theon to just laugh him off and tell him to stop being such a spoilt brat, but instead the boy smiled sympathetically and took a seat right next to him on the ground.

  * You're right – he said. - It does kind of suck.

  * Without saying – the Hufflepuff boy replied sadly.

  * However, I don't think that this was your last chance.




Those words have kind of surprised Robb as he has never even thought otherwise. After all, why would he? He was a goner. There was no other way he could redeem himself.

  * Really?

  * Of course – the Slytherin replied, without the slightest hint of hesitation. - You are Robb Stark. People love you. Sooner or later they will notice you've changed and forgive you. It may not happen so quickly. Afer all, you've messed up big time, and you know it. Still, I have no doubt that they will all forgive you in the end.

  * Are you sure about that? - Robb asked, looking at Theon with his big blue eyes.

  * I am – the boy said. - If I was them, I couldn't stay mad at you for too long.




Despite the gloomy mood he was in, Robb couldn't deny a slight smile creeping onto his face as he heard that. It may have seemed trivial, but it was exactly what he needed to hear at the moment. Theon always seemed to know just how to cheer him up.

  * Thanks – Robb said with a reddish flush creeping up on his round cheeks.

  * Don't thank me – the Slytherin replied. - I said what I said.




If not for the fact that they were in a public place, Robb would've probably pulled the boy into a hug... not that he minded it, but since Theon did, he wasn't going to embarrass him in front of everyone present in the library. The next few minutes they've spent sitting like that in complete silence. That was probably the one thing Robb liked the most about Theon. They could just spend hours like that, without saying a word. When he needed to talk to anyone, the Slytherin would always be there for him, but it were moments just like that when Robb truly realized that Theon was not anyone that could be replaced easily. Even with all the problems they've faced in the beginning of the year, he couldn't deny that they were best friends, for better or worse. Maybe his uncle was right about Theon in the end? After all, if one person could make him stop thinking about alleged murder of Hogwarts' previous headmaster, it was him.

  * Theon?

  * Yes?

  * Do you think this year will be any calmer than the last one?

  * Definitely not.

  * Yeah, I think so too – Robb said with a blissful smile, resting his head on Theon's shoulder.




 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, the struggle was real coming up with this chapter's title. The original was “Playtime Is Over” but then I was like... nah, too weak. Especially for the first chapter in which you can get a glimpse of what Arryn is up to. To be honest, she doesn't appear that often in the story, but that's because she's up to her own stuff behind the scenes. What stuff? Well, knowing her, nothing good. As for Robb making it to the substitutes list, I thought it was for the best if he doesn't make it onto the main team yet. I feel like this gives him more room to grow in the story. That said, youw ill get to see Robb play Quidditch, so don't worry. How soon? Well, sooner than you will find out Lysa's plan, that's for sure. 
> 
> Next week: Um... I'd rather not tell you, to be quite honest. You'll get it when you read it.


	7. A Very Disproportionate Retribution

_The pain. This is the only thing that his mind could focus on right now. The infuriating burning sensation in his throat failed to cease even for a moment, only getting stronger and stronger with every passing minute. His lungs were empty by now, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't take a single breath. He pressed the knees to his chest, hoping that somehow that awful feeling in his stomach would stop, but it didn't. It wasn't an ordinary tummyache. It was something far worse than that. Something he has never experienced before. He opened his eyes. Everything seemed blurry, but eventually he recognized the fairly similar shape of the furniture in his living room. In the back of his mind, where the pain couldn't reach, he started to wonder how did he end up in a situation like that. He came back home, noticed something on the table, read the note, smiled... and then he drank. That was his mistake. He drank. Somehow, propping himself on the seat of a nearby chair, he managed to get on his feet. He grabbed the bottle in his hand, but before he could read what's on the label or even take a good look at it, he dropped it. The glass shattered all over the floor. He tried to call for help. He tried to move. He tried to do anything, but he couldn't. The pain took over him completely. Suddenly he felt as if an invisible hand has grabbed him by the heart and crushed it, sending him to the floor in a moment of pure anguish. He felt a single tear falling down his cheek, as he was laying there, face towards the ground. For a moment he thought he could see a silhouette, almost as if someone was there watching him. And then it went dark._

Robb opened his eyes, panting in fear. He was back to his bed. The living room was gone. Instead of a cold, hard ground, underneath him was a warm mattress. No shattered glass around him. The pain he felt just a moment ago was also no longer here. He could breathe again. He could sit up straight. He could see everything clearly now. It must've already been morning, judging by the tiny rays of sunshine creeping in through the curtains of his bed. Surely he must've had a nightmare. A very bad one at that. However, surprisingly, he couldn't recall a single moment from it. All that he knew, was that he was suffering. He was in pain, and he wanted for it to end. Well, luckily for him, it was over now. Whatever or however wanted to hurt him was no longer here. He was on his own.

  * Robb? - he heard someone say, as the curtains pulled back, revealing a worried Podrick staring straight at him with messy hair and his pyjama still on. - Are you okay?




The brown-haired boy just looked at him, not sure of how to reply. For a moment he wasn't even sure if he was back to reality. Maybe he' was still dreaming, and in a minute the pain would return. He put his hand on the cheek, as if to check if the skin felt real enough for him, and only then did he truly realize he was awake.

  * Yeah, I'm fine – Robb said, forcing a smile onto his face. - I've just had a bad dream. Nothing to worry about.




Podrick, however, didn't seem too convinced by that statement, maybe because of the tears still present in his friend's eyes. It was obvious that whatever Robb has dreamt of, must've taken a toll on him.

  * Then stop eating before going to sleep – Robb heard someone else say. - You'll keep on having those if you don't.




On the bed opposite him sat Wendell, also still in his sleep attire. The boy didn't even raise his head from behind the book he was reading, probably to showcase, that no matter what he says, he still hasn't forgiven Robb for all that he's done last year. It was a miracle he has even decided to speak. Usually, all he would get from the boy was an exasperated sigh or an eye-roll. On the other side of the room stood Torrhen, carefully watching Robb. He seemed kind of concerned over the state of his roommate, but apparently not enough to do anything about it. Still, it was better now than it was before the try-outs. Before, he simply preferred to pretend Robb didn't exist. Now, however, that both of them had to attend the practice sessions together after the lessons, he had to acknowledge the boy's presence. Luckily for him, acknowledging him wasn't equal to talking to him, so he would only speak to Robb if he really had to.

  * Yeah – Robb replied eventually – that may be the cause. Thanks, Wendel.




The boy didn't reply, just continuing to delve deeper into his book. It hurt Robb to see how bad things were between him and his roommates. Ever since the beginning of the year, he has been doing his best to convince them that he was sorry about everything he's done and that he's changed, but to no result. Wendel and Torrhen have been avoiding him just as much as they did before. Even Podrick, probably the only one of his friends who still wanted to talk to him at all, barely spent any time with him. He wasn't trying to be rude or anything like that, but usually he was too busy with his own pack of friends. One that certainly didn't share his feelings towards Robb, to say the least. How did it all go downhill so quickly? He was just having campfires with all of them, and now, all of a sudden, they were all avoiding him as if he was carrying a deathly disease. Okay, maybe he wasn't nearly as lonely as he would've expected himself to be at first. He had Theon, Jon, Sam, Loras, and even Renly and Margaery seemed to be acting quite friendly towards him. Still, finding new friends was not his priority. All he really wanted was to get his old friends back and start everything all over again. Was everything he did really so irredeemable, that he didn't even deserve a second chance?

  * What's wrong? - Theon asked as the boys were having a breakfast. - You look pretty down today, even by your standards.




By the time the first month of studying has passed, the boy has become a regular guest at the Hufflepuff table. While at first some older students may have had some problems regarding that, no one seemed to be treating the sight of Theon as something out of ordinary now. What's more, every morning there even seemed to be a free place left for the two of them, landing them with a regular spot. Usually, they would also be joined by Jon and his friend Sam. The four of them have made for quite a team by now. The Breakfast Club, if you mind. It was actually rather cool to have four students, each from a different house, eating together by one table. It only went to show that maybe the division between them wasn't that big, and all of the houses may get along just fine with each other... well, every single day Theon and Jon would engage in a snark fight, which Theon would easily win to other boy's displeasure, while Sam would barely even look away from some old book he'd get from the library, but it was enough for Robb to consider them a good team.

  * It's about the guys – Robb replied sadly.

  * What about them? - Jon asked, not looking away from his scrambled eggs.

  * They still don't want to talk to me.

  * Still? - Theon raised his eyebrows, hearing that. - Well, they sure know how to hold a grudge.

  * I don't know what to do anymore – the Hufflepuff said. - Ever since the beginning of the year, I've been doing everything I can to get them back, and so far I have achieved nothing. Wendel still doesn't want to talk to me, and Torrhen tries to avoid me as much as he can. If anything, I've only made it worse. I honestly don't think I'll ever get them back.




That said he let his hair down, staring dully at the toast in front of him, on which Theon drew a smiley face with ketchup. It seemed like the piece of bread was making fun of him. _“Look, I'm happy, and you're not!”_ Never before had Robb wanted to punch a toast so badly... that's probably the first and last time anyone has ever used a sentence like that.

  * Come on, Robb – Theon said with sympathy in his voice. - Don't give up just yet. I've told you, that it might take some time for you to get them back.

  * But how much? - he asked. - It's been a month already and I've amounted to nothing. I'm still the public enemy number one, and my friends won't even take a look in my direction.

  * And how about Talisa?

  * Who? - Robb replied, surprised by the mere mention of the girl.

  * Talisa – Theon repeated. - You know, that Hufflepuff girl you were friends with. How about her? Did she say anything? Do you guys talk?




Now that was a question Robb definitely didn't expect Theon to ask. After all, he did just say Wendel and Torrhen don't want to talk to him. Why would it be different with Talisa of all people? If these two didn't want to talk to him, then why would she? There was no denying that Robb and Talisa had a rather close relationship before everything went falling down. At one point, she might have even been a serious threat towards Theon as the boy's best friend. She was one of the few people Robb felt like he could tell about anything which has worried him or made him sad. He just didn't have the same social block as he did when talking with anyone else. Of course, he did have the same kind of relationship with both Theon and Jon, but with Talisa it was different. She was a girl. No matter what you'd want to say about it, it always changes up the dynamic a bit, especially with Talisa looking the way she did. It might've even reached the point where Robb couldn't deny that he was starting to feel something towards her, but he wasn't too sure to do anything about that. However, whatever it was that he was feeling towards her, he had to leave in the past. It was all over now.

  * What? N-no – Robb replied, stuttering slightly – I mean, no, she didn't say-I mean, talk, we didn't, you know... anything. Why are you asking?

  * No reason – Theon said, taking another sip of the cocoa from the cup. - I just thought that she might've said something, considering how close the two of you were.

  * We weren't that close – Robb mumbled under his breath, taking his gaze off Theon.

  * Oh, I beg to differ – the Slytherin replied. - Even Ramsay has referred to her as “Stark's stupid girlfriend” for about first two months of school.




That comment has clearly made Robb feel slightly uncomfortable, judging by the pinkish blush on his cheeks. “Stark's girlfriend?” It just seemed so weird. Well, Robb couldn't deny that a similar thought might've crossed his mind once or twice, but in real life? Someone like Talisa with someone like him? Come on, that was just unrealistic.

  * I mean – Theon said, noticing his friend's reaction – I didn't think so. It's just that, I've told you because Ramsay did, and I thought you might want to know, and because-

  * I think you should go talk to her – Jon cut in, prompting an annoyed glare from the blond.

  * You think so? - the boy asked.

  * Of course. If you two were as close as Theon says, then you should at least give it a try. Who knows? Maybe she'll even forgive you? After all, she should know you quite well by now. If she really did like you, she'll see you really mean it.




There was a moment of silence as Robb took his brother's words into consideration. To his surprise, what he said did make some sense. Ever since the beginning of the year he's been trying to get the boys back on his side, hoping that then Talisa would follow, but maybe he's gone the wrong way about it? Maybe it was her who Robb should speak to first? The boy opened his mouth to thank Jon for the idea, but he got cut off by a very unimpressed Theon.

  * Wow, I've never thought I'll see the day young Stark gives anyone a lady advice – he said.

  * Like you would know anything about ladies, Greyjoy – the dark-haired boy snapped right back.




Luckily enough, the conversation between the two boys was captivating enough to keep Robb from thinking what Theon meant by “lady advice.”

  * If you want to know, Stark – the Slytherin said, leaning back in his chair comfortably, hands tied behind his head – I've had more than few ladies gushing over me back in my primary school days.

  * Really? - Robb asked, visibly confused.

  * Really? - Jon asked in disbelief.

  * Yeah, I don't know why you act surprised. I'm cute.




Despite Theon's admirable confidence, Robb wasn't sure if he could fully believe his words. Not that he wasn't attractive. Actually, he has always considered Theon quite a good looking guy. He seemed to have that boyish charm to him that the girls liked, plus a pair of beautiful teal eyes, but it wasn't about his looks. If Robb remembered correctly, and he was pretty sure he did, Theon told him on their way back home, that kids didn't really like him at school and called him mean names. No matter how good looking Theon was, something didn't add up. However, Robb has quietly decided that bringing it up in company of Jon and Sam would be downright classless, so he stayed quiet, watching the two boys going at it.

  * Jon has had experience with girls before – Sam added innocently, out of nowhere.




Sometimes it was really easy to forget the Ravenclaw was even here. He could spend the entire breakfast without eating a thing, just reading some history books, with the only words he'd say being: _“amazing”_ or _“unbelievable.”_ Now, however, he's managed to effectively garner Theon's attention.

  * Sam – Jon began, slightly worried – what are you talking about?

  * There was a girl. Remember? You've told me about her once. Her name was Clarice.

  * Clarice?! - Theon asked, maybe a bit too loud, considering there were about fifty more Hufflepuffs seating by the table.

  * Jon – Robb wanted to say something, but he stopped himself, as the boy shot him a begging look.




After all, he couldn't just tell Theon that when he was six, his younger brother made out with a broomstick dressed in his mom's clothes he named “Clarice.” That would be simply cruel.

The rest of the day could be described as pretty unremarkable... which was good. At this point, Robb would take everything else than outright bad. However, he still couldn't stop thinking about his talk with Theon and Jon by the breakfast. Maybe they were right? Maybe talking to Talisa wasn't such a bad idea after all? However, before putting Jon's plan into motion, Robb has decided to give himself at least one more chance, to make things right with the boys, or at the very least with Torrhen. The opportunity seemed to be perfect. Each day, after the lessons have ended, the Hufflepuff team would be having practice on the Quidditch Pitch. That was the only occasion Robb could find the boy without the rest of his pack by his side. Of course, there were others, such as Rakharo or Harrion, Torr's brother, but that wasn't that big of a problem. It was going to be way easier to catch him now and try to talk to him.

Usually, each training session would start with few laps across the pitch, and then the players would have to endure about fifteen minutes of Brienne's back-breaking exercises. Technically, it would seem like a perfect excuse to exchange a word or two with Torrhen, but reality was different. Captain Tarth did not like people talking during her training sessions.

  * Was it always like that? – Robb asked Loras quietly.

  * Like what?

  * Was the previous captain... harsh like that?

  * Him? - the blond asked. - No, he'd just let us play for an hour. Brienne, on the other hand, is just _mad_.




Well, there was no denying the girl was hell-bent on winning the cup this year. However, Robb couldn't agree with Loras calling her mad. She may have been a strict team captain, but surely she had good intentions. Besides, he couldn't stop wondering if Brienne was like that in real life as well, beyond all the practice sessions and the matches. It may have as well turned out, that she was a great person. Maybe one day he should try approaching her at school? Surely one more addition to the “I Don't Hate Robb Stark List” wouldn't hurt him. For now, however, he had another thing to worry about.

A good opportunity to talk to the boy hasn't come until after the practice was over, in the male changing room. Well, truthfully it wasn't the most pleasant place to be having this kind of conversation, due to the unendurable smell of male sweat, which certainly didn't smell nearly as sweet now as Robb imagined it would before. Sadly, he didn't have any opportunity to talk to Torrhen during today's practice, so doing it right here was his only chance. At least, for now, there wasn't anyone around the boy, seeing as Rakharo has left by now, and Harrion went to take a quick shower, which made Robb's job way easier. Not that it was easy at all to begin with. Getting Torrhen to talk to him was still going to be rather a difficult thing to do. How was he even going to approach him about it?

  * Just go and talk to him already.




As Robb looked around, he noticed Loras standing right next to him, switching the yellow Quidditch sweater for his normal clothing.

  * If you want to ask me “how do I know” - he continued, before the boy could say anything – then let me just say that you have been staring at Karstark for, like, five minutes already. If I didn't know you any better, I'd think you're into him.




Usually, Robb wouldn't let a comment like that slide past him without any response, but right now he had bigger problems than Loras questioning his masculinity.

  * What am I going to say t him? - he asked eventually.

  * Anything – the older Hufflepuff replied with a shrug. - Really, anything. “Hey, how's school?” “Have you done the Transfiguration assignment yet?” “Baelish's quite a jerk, isn't he?” There are plenty topics to talk about. You used to be friends, after all. Didn't you?

  * We did.

  * See? - Loras said. - That shouldn't be a problem. Now go, before you scare him off.




Maybe Loras was right? Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad? They used to be friends, after all. How hard was it possibly going to be to find some common topics.

  * Hi – Robb said, as he made his way towards the boy.




Right in the moment Torrhen has turned around and looked at him, Robb realized how hard was it going to be. _Very_ hard.

  * Um... hi, Robb – the blond said, visibly confused by the boy's presence. - What are you doing in here?




It was kind of a stupid question, considering they were on the same Quidditch team, but Robb felt obliged to answer it anyway

  * I've just wanted to check on you – he said. - I can't even remember the last time we've spoken.

  * Yeah, me too – Torrhen replied, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

  * So... how are you? - the brown-haired boy asked with an awkward smile.

  * Good, I think – the other Hufflepuff said.

  * Oh, that's... good.




Yeah, “very hard” wasn't even close to describing the hopelessness of Robb's situation. It was a disaster. Quick, how could he make this situation any less uncomfortable to both of them? Think... think...

  * So... Baelish's quite a jerk, isn't he?




Cue a painful moment of silence.

  * Robb, look – Torrhen began, probably fed up with the talking – I would love to have a talk with you, but... I...




In this exact moment, the door leading to the showers swung open, revealing Harrion Karstark, who then walked into the room with a bare chest and a pink towel hanging over his shoulder. Even like that, Robb had to admit that despite only being only two years older than him, the boy looked rather intimidating. Just like his younger brother, he was tall, but while Torr was all skin and bones, Harrion was big and burly. So far he hasn't given Robb any indication that he should be afraid of him, but surely he wasn't a person you'd like to mess with. His arrival has also clearly made Torrhen glad, considering that now he was able to make a good excuse to get out of this very uncomfortable situation.

  * I've promised Harrion, that him and I will go out together after the practice – he said, placing his hand on his older brother's shoulder.

  * You did? - the boy asked, quirking his eyebrow at Torr.

  * _Yes, I did –_ the younger Hufflepuff gritted out through his teeth.




Only then did Harrion notice Robb standing nearby and nod his head in agreement. Unbelievably, it looked like Torrhen was the brains of the family.

  * Yeah, he did – the fourth-year said with a clumsy smile. - I've just remembered. He and I were going to spend the afternoon together. In fact, Torr, why don't you wait outside, while I get dressed. I'll be out in a minute.

  * Sure thing – Torrhen said, before taking one more look at Robb. - We'll talk later, Robb. See you.

  * See you – Robb replied sadly, as the blond left.




Well, it was safe to say, that this has backfired in a particularly spectacular way. The last time he's seen Torrhen running so quickly was when Wendel found out, that for the past few months they've been sharing a toothbrush. Yeah, it was that kind of bad. Maybe Jon's plan was going to work out better than that?

As Robb got back inside the Great Hall, Theon has already been waiting for him by the table, as he usually did after each practice. After all, he was promised that he would be the first one to hear all the juicy gossips about Hufflepuff Quidditch Team players. So far, there was nothing he could've been told about, especially considering how Robb isn't the most trusted person around, yet he still awaited for the right occasion to come. Right as the brown-haired boy has passed the doorstep, the Slytherin noticed that something was off about him. Even by his standards, Robb was looking particularly down after today's training session. Something must've gone wrong.

  * What's up with you? - he asked as the boy took a seat right next to him.

  * I've tried to talk to Torrhen again after the practice – Robb muttered sadly in response.

  * And I assume it didn't go to well?

  * He ran away, Theon – the Hufflepuff said, with a hint of anger in his voice. - He literally ran away from the changing room as soon as I've tried to talk to him.

  * Robb – the blond started, but the boy interrupted him.

  * No, don't “Robb” me, Theon. I've had enough of it. I'm doing my best to get all of them back, but it's getting me nowhere, and it's only getting worse which each passing day. Tell me, am I really such a bad person that I don't even deserve my friends to talk to me? Am I really that bad?




Of course, he wasn't nearly as bad as he described, but seeing what state his friend is in right now, Theon restrained himself from saying anything. For the next minute or so, the boys were sitting in complete silence. The only good thing about the situation seemed to be the delicious banana pie, placed exactly where Robb would usually sit during the dinner. Almost as if someone has thought of him while placing it there. If not for that, he might've completely broken down by now. Technically, one month wasn't that much, but if you think of it as thirty days (well, around forty by now, considering October has already begun), you realize how long has Robb been trying by now. Everyone used to tell him that his friends needed some time, but how much was “some” exactly? They haven't spoken to each other for four months now, with the fifth being well on its way. How long could they possibly be mad at him over that one stupid thing he did at the beginning of last year? How long was he going to pay for it?

  * And what about Talisa? - Theon asked eventually. - Have you tried talking to her yet?

  * I didn't have the chance – Robb replied.

  * Well, just so you know, she's in the hall right now.




Indeed, as Robb turned around, he noticed Talisa sitting on the other side of the table, busy chatting Bethany Blackwood. He missed the times it would be the two of them talking. Talisa was a good listener. He felt like he could confide in her about anything. To be honest, he was rather surprised he has managed to last so long without talking to her. He couldn't deny he really missed their talks, and he really missed her as a person.

  * Don't you want to go talk to her? - Theon asked, to Robb's surprise.

  * Like... right now?

  * Why not? - the blond countered. - It's not like it can get any worse than the talk you've just had with Karstark. Besides, it surely won't go that bad, since, well, she's not Karstark. She will at least try to pretend she cares.

  * I don't know... - Robb said, still unsure about his friend's plan.

  * It's okay – Theon replied. - I'm not forcing you to do anything. I just thought that you might feel better if you do it, but I may be wrong. It's all up to you.




The Hufflepuff had no idea what to do. On one hand, he could go talk to Talisa, taking into account that it may backfire spectacularly and send him into a downwards spiral of despair. On the other hand, he could also continue sitting here with Theon, stuffing himself on that stupid pie, and regret the day he missed a chance to finally talk to her. It seemed like there was no good option left for him. Unsure what to do, he took one more look in the direction of Talisa, and, oh God! He caught a glimpse of her face turning away into the other direction. She was looking at him! Talisa freaking Maegyr was looking at him! She wouldn't be looking towards him if she really did not want to speak to him, right? Clearly, there still must've been some sympathy left inside of her. Maybe she even missed him too? Okay, it might have been a bit too much, but they were close. It's not like it would be that far off the truth. For once, he should act like a man and finally go and talk to her. It was his time to shine.

  * I'm going to do it – he announced to his friend. - I'm going to talk to her.

  * Are you sure? – Theon asked, as he heard that. - Because I don't wont to hear you say, that I made you go there, and you've messed it all up.

  * I won't mess it up – Robb replied, completely determinated on reaching his goal.

  * That's the spirit – the blond smiled, with a hint of fatherly pride in his voice. - Go get her, tiger.




Despite the “tiger” comment, which usually would've put him in a rather good mood, as Robb was walking towards Talisa, he was at the peak of his nerves. What was he doing? Why was he doing that? Now, that he actually was going to do it, he wasn't so sure of it as he was few seconds ago. He was no tiger. He was a scaredy cat and he didn't want to go anywhere. There were to many unknowns about this entire situation. How was she going to react? Or was she going to react at all? Maybe she was going to ignore him, and he would end up looking like a giant loser, standing over her table and waiting for an answer which would never come? And if she does acknowledge his existence, what was he going to tell her? How was he going to begin? Should he just go straight for the apologies? Or maybe he should start off with a small talk? After all, it worked so well with Torrhen. Why shouldn't it work for her? He felt awful. He couldn't even take a deep breath, as it looked like his respiratory system has shut down. Besides, he couldn't get rid off that awful sucking feeling inside of his stomach, which usually accompanied him during stressful situations. Maybe it wasn't too late to give up on the plan and run away as possible.  
Sadly, right now it seemed to be impossible, as Bethany has already caught wind of the intruder, alerting her friend of the boy's presence with a single nudge on the shoulder. She didn't seem hostile, just very surprised. However, it was not her who Robb was afraid of the most. As soon as Talisa took a look at him, with her deep dark brown eyes, he knew he was done. How was he even going to say anything with her staring at him like that? Maybe he should've blindfolded her, before approaching them by the table? No, bad brain. Bad idea.

  * Robb? - luckily for him, the girl started.

  * Hey Talisa, how are you? - the brown-haired boy asked with a nervous smile. - Bethany, nice to see you.




The other girl nodded her head quickly and smiled at him. It really didn't seem like she was still mad at Robb for everything that happened last year. To be honest, they have never been that close with each other. They've mostly been friends because of Talisa. Still, Robb couldn't deny, that Bethany was one of the nicest girls around.

  * I-I'm fine – the dark-haired girl stuttered out. - What are you doing in here?




With that question, Robb could've felt a blush already creeping up on his face. He always knew when it happened. He could just feel that weird warmth all over his skin. Now, however, it was quite different. It wasn't just the face. He was feeling weird overall. As if something was burning him up from the inside. Something like a stomachache, but not exactly like a stomachache. Well, maybe it was all because of the nerves. He couldn't deny that talking to Talisa after all this time might've been a stressful situation for him.

  * What am I doing in here? - he asked, receiving a quick nod in response. - I just came here to talk to you. It's been a while since we've last spoken to each other.




Hearing that, Talisa arched one of her perfect eyebrows suspiciously, and then took a look to her left towards Bethany. It probably didn't even take a second for her to do all that, but for Robb it felt like hours, especially considering how frouzy it has suddenly gotten in the Great Hall.

  * I don't know – the girl replied eventually, with an apologetic expression – if there's anything left for us to talk about us.

  * What?! - Robb asked, slightly louder than he expected it to come out. - I mean, of course. There surely is something we can talk about. Right?




Clearly, that situation hasn't been uncomfortable only for Robb. Just one look at Talisa was enough, to see, that she'd rather be anywhere else, doing anything else at the moment. Unsure of what to do, she just shot one more look at Bethany, who in return shoved her delicately with her shoulder in encouragement.

  * Fine – the dark-haired girl finally replied. - What did you want to talk to me about?

  * Well... - the boy began. - Hm... where to begin?




If the idea of talking to Talisa has stopped appealing to Robb on his way to their seats, by now it must've changed into his own personal nightmare. And, as if the utter emptiness inside of his mind wasn't enough, there came the physical side of the situation. Robb was not feeling well. He was feeling breathless, sweaty, and the sucking feeling inside of his stomach has developed into something else. As he surely wasn't a picky eater, Robb has suffered from random kinds of bellyache over the twelve years of his life, but today it was something different. He must've poisoned himself with something? But what? He didn't eat anything bad today.

  * Look – he managed to mumble out eventually – I can see, that you and me have drifted apart from each other ever since the end of last year, and... and I know you've noticed it too... and... is it getting hot in here or is it just me?




As he said that, he chuckled nervously and loosened the tie around his neck. He was not imagining it. It was really getting hot in the room.

  * Robb? - Talisa asked, now with a concerned expression. - Are you okay?

  * Me? Of course, I'm fine – Robb replied, trying to dismiss the problem. - Why wouldn't I be?

  * You don't seem fine to me – Bethany cut in, also seemingly worried about the boy.

  * Robb, maybe I should take you to the Hospital Wing? I'm sure they'd give you-

  * There's no need to – Robb cut in, not giving up on the chance to finally talk to the girl. - I'm fine, really. All that matter right now is...




He got interrupted by a loud rumbling noise coming from his stomach. Now he had to admit that he wasn't feeling well, but he had to finish what he started. He must've told Talisa how he really feels about the whole situation.

  * Excuse me – he said, not paying attention to the alarmed look on girl's face. - What I meant to say... is...




_“I'm sorry.”_

He opened his mouth to say it, but what came out of them surely didn't sound like an apology.

**WARNING: The events described below are painfully embarrassing both to watch and to read, so if you are allergic to cringeworthy moments,** _**do not** _ **continue reading this chapter.**

He burped. Yes, Robb Stark has burped right in front of Talisa Maegyr. Actually, “burp” wasn't even a good word to describe it. It seems way to light in comparison to what's really happened. He belched, that's more like it. The worst part was, it wasn't even a normal belch. That could've happened to anyone. After all, we're all human beings with digestive systems. We know how they work. This belch, however, wasn't even remotely human. It was the loudest, longest, most disgusting belch anyone could possibly imagine. In fact, it was so loud that it has clearly been heard by more than few people sitting by the Hufflepuff table. No, it was so loud that it has attracted the attention of every single person present in the Great Hall. There was no need to say it surely wasn't a natural reaction of Robb's body. Someone must've been behind it, and the boy even had his suspicions about it. For now, however, he has been standing in the middle of the Great Hall, all eyes on him, trying to deal with the fact that he belched right if front of Talisa Maegyr, the girl who he was trying to apologize to after nearly five months of not speaking to each other. Suffice to say, she seemed rather taken aback by what she's just witnessed.

  * I'm so sorry, I didn't know what happened – was what Robb wanted to say right now.




Instead came out another belch, this one less impressive than the first one, but still. Then came another, and another, and another. He just couldn't stop it. It just kept on happening. By now, half of the Great Hall has already been in tears over the boy's misfortune, particularly the Gryffindor table, and a small section of the Slytherin table, where sat... well, of course. Ramsay Bolton. Of course it was his idea. “ _It's going to be one hell of a year for you! I promise!”_

Well, he surely did keep his promise.

  * Robb, it's okay – Talisa tried to say, but the boy was already on his way out of the room.




After a full month of being the school's biggest public enemy, finally he's had enough. He had enough of being school's biggest public enemy. He had enough of his friends avoiding him. He had enough of being a public embarrassment, and first and foremost, he had enough of being a target of Ramsay's cruel pranks and schemes. What he really wanted right now was for everyone to just leave him alone.

  * Robb! - he heard someone calling from the Hall, but he didn't care.




He just wanted to get the hell out of there as quickly as he only could. He had no idea where to go. Technically, he could just run to his bedroom, closed the curtains around his bed, and waited until the worst was over, but it's been a while since he has felt welcome in there. Besides, that would mean having to get through the common room full of people, all while still burping. That's why the male bathroom on the first floor seemed like a perfect place for a hideout. He closed and locked the door to one of the stalls, just so that no one could see him in here and took a seat on the toilet. That was when the panic has really started to kick in. Only now could he sit down and realize that what happened was no nightmare which was going to pass any minute. As if he didn't have anough problems already, now he also had to live with the fact that the entire school saw him belch his lungs out in front of someone he cared so much about. His position was only getting more and more pathetic with each passing day.

  * Robb?! - someone called from the outside. - Robb, I know you're in here!




The boy could easily recognize Theon's voice, but as much as he enjoyed the Slytherin's company, all he really wanted right now was to be left alone. He tried to keep quiet, hoping that maybe Theon would go away, but then, of course, his own burps have betrayed him again. Soon afterwards, he heard a knocking on the door of his cabin.

  * Robb, please, open up.




Well, what was the worst thing that could possibly happen if he opens the door? It's not like he was going to humiliate himself any more. Besides, at this point, he couldn't care less about it. With a sigh, Robb unlocked the door, letting the skinny blond enter. Seeing the Hufflepuff boy all in tears, Theon couldn't help, but look at him sympathetically. He knew very well how much Robb hated it, but at this moment it seemed like the only fitting reaction.

  * Robb, I-



  * I'm just pathetic – there he burped once again, damn Ramsay and his pranks. - Am I not?

  * No, you're not – his friend said, crouching down besides Robb and putting his hands on his shoulders. - That jerk is gonna pay for what he's done.




However, Robb didn't care about Ramsay that much anymore. All that he knew was that he messed up completely. Theon was right. It was his only chance, and he as ruined it. He should've turned back right when he felt something was wrong. Now, all the chances he had at rekindling his friendship with Talisa were gone. She must've probably felt repulsed by him right now. After all, what he just did was disgusting. She would probably never be able to look at him without reminding herself of that situation. Has there even been a more humiliating moment in his life? No, probably not. He has officially reached the rock bottom. Yes, it was even worse than when Ramsay revealed his secret to the entire school. Before, he was the school's biggest enemy. Now, however, he was a joke. A laughing stock. How was he possibly going to recover from that? It was already bad as it was before, he didn't need any of that. Even considering what he's done last year, this seemed like a very disproportionate retribution.

He was never getting his friends back? Was he?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm aware that I forgot to post a new chapter last week. I'm sorry, because I've been trying my best to stick to the schedule, but I didn't have enough free time to go over the entire chapter, fix it and rewrite it. As a matter of fact, there's still a lot I have to do, and I'm going to have to take a two-week break from posting to make sure I can handle everything that's coming my way. I've also barely started writing the third part of the story, so I hope I will be able to advance with it during the break. That being said, I've decided two give you two chapters to hold you over until I'm back. I hope you'll enjoy them.
> 
> As for chapter 7, I really wasn't sure if I should follow with the idea I had of Ramsay humiliating Robb in front of the entire Great Hall in the way he did, but I wanted for something like this to happen, and honestly, I couldn't come up with anything more embarassing than this. I know for a fact it would be my biggest nightmare. I wanted to play it for drama, because to some stupid pranks like that might be their worst memories for a long time. If you still think it's too cringeworthy for your taste, well, let's not forget that Ron puked up a bucket of snails in COS and things like Puking Pastilles are canon in the HP universe.
> 
> The next chapter will be up in a few minutes, so bon appétit and prepare to be fed.


	8. What Friends Do

The next few weeks, which followed directly after what was easily the most mumiliating moment of Robb's entire life have turned out to be... quite okay, actually. Well, it certainly wasn't the best he's ever felt, but being accustomed to a continuous streak of failures and disappointments, the boy was actually surprised at how quickly the whole case of him burping in the Great Hall has faded into oblivion. It was so unlike students of Hogwarts to let go of a juicy topic like that so easily. Somehow, however, the memory of the Great Hall incident has faded away surprisingly quickly. What's more, most of the students at Hogwarts seemed to be unusually understanding towards Robb. Of course, there were a few Gryffindors, who had a lot of fun teasing him in the hallways for the next week or so, and the evil half of Slytherin has been sending some particularly chilling looks his way recently. Still, besides that, his current situation remained just as it was before the prank. If not better. No, seriously. One thing which people should know about the Hufflepuffs was that they are some of the most compassionate people around. Ever since Ramsay has pulled that awful prank of him in front of nearly the whole school, the amount of disapproving stares he'd receive from his housemates has visibly decreased in number. They've actually felt bad for him! It was a success! If they've felt bad for him, that must've meant they have started considering him an actual human being again, not just a worthless house traitor he was before. Who would have thought that belching out loud in the middle of the Great Hall would improve Robb's social status so much?

  * Hey, Stark! - well... but, as it was mentioned before, it hasn't been all rosy.




As the boy raised his head, he noticed Daryn Hornwood looking right at him. The boy's medium-lenght brown hair have been beaded with sweat after the practice. Suffice to say, with each passing day, the training sessions have been becoming harder and harder for the young players.

  * Heard you've put on quite a show in the Great Hall recently – the older boy continued.




Robb clenched his fists, trying not to react too emotionally to his teammate's words. He didn't like Hornwood, and not just because he beat him to the main team. So what? So did Irri, and he didn't have anything against her. It was because of the boy's smug attitude towards everything, that seemed to fit Slytherin way more than Hufflepuff. Daryn making it into the latter was an undeniable proof that sometimes lines between the houses could be very blurry.

  * Oh, just leave him alone, Hornwood – Loras said, without even looking back at the boy. - He's gotten enough crap from Bolton already.

  * All I'm saying is that I did not expect little Stark to just go around the school belching his lungs out – the long-haired Hufflepuff added. - Where did he even fit it? Dude's tiny, and I've heard he's made the room shake.




That very moment Robb has decided he's had enough of it, and got up off the bench to leave. He did not come here to listen to Hornwood picking on him over something that he knew very well was not his fault. If he wanted to blame anyone, then he should've gone off of Ramsay, not him. Besides, he was not tiny! However, just as Robb was about to walk off towards the entrance, he's heard someone else taking the floor.

  * Leave him alone, Hornwood. Kid's harmless. He wouldn't hurt a fly.




The person speaking was Rakharo, the chaser of Hufflepuff Quidditch Team. So far, Robb hasn't had a chance to speak to him that much, but considering he was friends with Harrion Karstark, who was Torrhen's older brother, he would've guessed he didn't like him all that much. Now, however, he stood up for him in front of Hornwood. Why?

  * Wouldn't hurt a fly? - the Chaser said, taking a glance in Robb's direction. - Don't be dum, Rakharo. We all know what he's done.

  * So what? - the dark-skinned boy replied. - It's not like you haven't done any stupid things in your life.

  * Not _that_ stupid – Daryn snarked back, to which Rakharo sighed and looked over at Robb.

  * Don't worry, kid – he said. - He's just jealous because you were faster than him during every single practice.




Hearing that, Daryn rolled his eyes in annoyance and returned to his locker to switch his T-shirt. Robb, on the other hand, couldn't hide a smile caused by the boy's kindness. He didn't expect anyone to stand up for him, and especially not someone like Rakharo.

  * Thanks – he said.

  * No problem – Rakharo replied. - You've got to practice your shooting skills, though. You lack experience.

  * It's harder to score a goal, when you have two bludgers on your butt the whole time – Harrion added casually.




Only then did Robb realize the Karstark brothers have been sitting on the opposite side of the room. The older of them didn't seem to be paying much attention to discussion, busy applying his deodorant. It was a necessity, since today's practice session has been rather intense, and Harrion Karstark always sweats twice as much as a normal person would. Torrhen, on the other hand, has been watching the discussion unfold, clearly surprised by Rakharo's friendly behavior towards his ex-friend. However, as Robb took a look in his direction, he quickly turned his gaze away, pretending to have been staring at the wall this whole time.

Yeah, some things don't change even after you burp in the Great Hall. While Ramsay's prank may have had some unforeseen positive side effects, Robb was in no way thankful that it happened. Quite the contrary, he honestly wished he could go back in time, and stop himself from eating that stupid banana pie before it was too late. What was the use in everyone liking him when even he felt disgusted by himself. Personally, Robb's never been worse. As if his self-esteem was low enough, Ramsay had to do his best for it to reach the all time low. Robb has always had complexes about the way he looked, the way he behaved, the way he talked... overall, the way he was. Actually, most of the stupid things he's done last year have been stemming from his low self-esteem. Now, however, his insecurities have gotten even worse. Everytime he'd look in the mirror, he wouldn't see Robb Stark, but the face of a kid who burped in the face of his ex-best friend/possible crush. It was as embarrassing as it could get. Of course, Theon and Jon have been there all the time, trying to prove him wrong, but no matter how hard the would try, it wasn't going to be that easy to convince him.

Speaking of Talisa, it comes as no surprise that Robb didn't try his luck talking to her one more time. How could he possibly look her in the eyes considering what happened last time they've spoken? He saw the look in her eyes. The look of utter disgust and disdain. She probably wouldn't even let for their meeting happen for the second time. It was clear by now that whatever the two of them may or may not have had before was gone. Now, looking at him, Talisa would see exactly the same thing Robb sees when he looks into the mirror. A loser who has ruined his last chance of making things right with her. That was beyond pathetic. Robb Stark, the eldest son of the auror Eddard Stark, hiding in the school bathroom, crying, unable to stop himself from burping. There was no reason why Talisa shouldn't feel disgusted by him right now. Despite that, Robb couldn't resist the feeling, that the girl was following him way more carefully than she usually would. Well, normally she wouldn't pay attention to him at all, so there was that. Still, it must've meant something. Why would she even want to look into his direction at all? After what had happened, Robb expected her to pretend as if he didn't exist, but it was quite the contrary. She was paying way more attention to him now than before the Great Hall incident took place. Why? Robb had no idea. To him, it made zero sense. After all, it was all over between them. There was nothing else left to say. He had a chance and he blew it.

  * Mr Stark?




Robb raised his head, only to notice professor Baelish looking right at him with a questioning look. Oh, right, it was Potions already. Time flies fast. Usually Robb would at least pretend to be paying attention, just in case the teacher would like to ask him about something (which he always does), but today he has drifted far away into his thoughts.

  * I'm sorry – Robb replied. - Could you repeat the question, please?




At this point, every normal teacher would have gotten mad at his student for not paying any attention to the lesson. Professor Baelish, however, just rolled his eyes in mild annoyance and smiled “warmly” towards the boy. Well, of course Robb being his personal pet might've had the effect on teacher's rather friendly reaction. One would expect the man to downgrade his favoritism towards the Hufflepuff as the new year began, but no. Instead, it seemed like professor Baelish was only growing more fond of the boy with each passing day to Robb's obvious displeasure.

  * I've asked you to name the third key ingredient needed to brew the Swelling Solution – the teacher said once again, without a hint of malice in his voice.




_“The Swelling Solution...”_ Robb thought. He was familiar with the name. They must've been learning about it not so long ago. Actually, he did remember when. It was exactly one week ago. He has even brewed one with Ysilla Royce who he currently had to sit with, and thanks to the girl's abilities, it wasn't even halfway as bad as his solo efforts usually were. But what did he dump in there? There were bat spleens used in the potion. He remembered it very well. He truly hated using them, and the only use Robb could think of for them was to shut Baelish's mouth with them. Okay, what else? Nettle? There was nettle in here? Right? There had to be. He crushed it in the mortar with... something else. He couldn't remember what it was, but he knew for sure that he used nettle in this.

  * Nettle – he said.

  * That's right, Robb – the teacher said, with a sour smile. - Nettle _is_ used in brewing the Swelling Solution, but mr Waynwood has already mentioned it. The correct answer were bat spleens.




Once again, screwed over by the bat spleens. At least professor Baelish didn't seem too mad about that, as he just smiled indulgently and continued with the lesson. The next forty minutes have been rather uneventful as the teacher kept talking about the Hair-Raising Potion, probably one of the most useless things they've learnt to brew so far. For a while Robb thought that maybe for once professor Baelish would spare him the usual daily dose of sucking up to him. Wrong!

  * …and don't forget about the essay due to tomorrow – the teacher said, then turning his face towards the Hufflepuff – and you, Robb, I'd like to stay with me after the lesson. Okay?




_“No.”_

  * Of course – Robb nodded his head.




Soon the bell rang, and all of the students left the classroom, leaving the boy eye to eye with professor Baelish. All of a sudden, he missed the pleasant warmth of aunt Lysa's office.

  * Robb – the teacher said, with his usual half-sincere, half-bigheaded smirk – do you know why I have asked you to stay with me after the lessons?

  * I have no idea – the boy answered honestly.

  * Well, I've called you here today, because it has come to my notice that you have been acting rather strange lately.

  * By strange you mean... - Robb asked, unsure of the teacher's intentions.

  * I've noticed that you haven't been paying any attention to the lessons recently – the man replied. - It's worrying me, especially since you are one of my best students.

  * I am?




The doubt in Robb's voice was sincere. How was he one of his best students, when he still has problems brewing the simple Cure for Boils? On top of his head: Wendel, Bethany, Talisa, the Ravenclaw girl he was sitting with and even Ramsay Bolton (who aparrently was some weird case of a child genius) were better than him. Giving him good grades for his abysmal efforts was one thing, but to actually call him one of the best? Even Baelish must've realized that it was a large overstatement.

  * Yes, you are – he replied. - School grades aren't everything, Robb. What I see in you is a true passion, the kind that doesn't happen very often.




In this moment Robb reminded himself that last year he has literally written _“POTIONS SUCK”_ one the first page of his book, with _“Baetrash stinks”_ underneath, in lower letters. Shout out to Torrhen Karstark for coming up with the name.

  * You really have a chance to become a famous potioneer – the teacher continued – but you won't amount to anything if you don't pay attention during the lessons. Do you understand me?




Robb just nodded his head, too taken aback to even reply to the question.

  * Now, your brother, on the other hand... - there he stopped for a while, only continuing few seconds later. - Don't get me wrong. He's a good kid, very polite, even if a bit shy. However, he doesn't exhibit even half the potion-brewing talent that you have.

  * Really? - Robb asked.

  * Yes – the teacher replied. - He's nowhere as good as you.




That seemed particularly weird to the boy, especially considering how Jon told him he had no problems during the Potions lessons. Actually, he said he was rather good at brewing them. Could he have been so wrong about his skills?

  * Look – the black haired man began – I know that you are going to a tough period of time right now. I've heard about the whole situation between you and Ramsay. Don't worry, I understand you. Honestly, I would've the same thing as you did if I got sorted into Hufflepuff.




Did he just-

  * Not to disrespect the Hufflepuff students or anything like that. Actually, I quite enjoy teaching them. What they lack in the talent department, they usually make up for with hard-work.




Robb's fists have clenched tightly. He may have not been a good Hufflepuff in the past, but he was not going to let anyone disrespect his house like that, and especially not a slimey bastard like Petyr Baelish.

  * However – he continued – I've always pictured you to be more of a Slytherin type.

  * With all due respect, professor Baelish – Robb said, trying to be as polite as he could – but I don't think I would make for a good Slytherin.

  * Oh, Robb – the teacher replied. - Of course you would. You have all it takes to be a great Slytherin student: resourcefulness, cunning, ambition...




One thing that Robb could agree with the man on was ambition. He has always been rather determined about his goals, even if it usually ended up doing him more harm than good (see: last year.) However, resourcefulness? Cunning? The boy was by no means stupid, but there was a good reason for why Ramsay has managed to outsmart him every single time. Robb was a rather naïve person and he would often act without thinking of the consequences. Ramsay, on the other hand, despite being only eleven at the time, was a master of plotting and deception. He had everything what it took to be a good Slytherin. Robb, on the other hand, was ambitious, and that's about it.

  * Thank you, but I'm fine with the house I was sorted into – Robb said, through clenched teeth, trying not to show how annoyed with the teacher he really was.

  * Oh, but I thought you were-

  * You were wrong – the boy replied quickly. - What I've done was stupid. I'm proud to be a Hufflepuff, and I wouldn't wish to be anywhere else.




There was a moment of silence, where it seemed that even professor Baelish has felt slightly intimidated by his student's serious face. Then, however, he just sighed nervously and smiled at the boy once again.

  * Well, that is very mature of you, but that doesn't change the fact that you should start paying more attention to the lessons. See, potions are a very powerful field of magic, and it's vital for every single wizard to know the effects they might cause. Who knows? One day, paying attention during the lesson may save your life. Maybe even the life of a person you care about?




As he said that, his eyes have gleamed dangerously, making Robb feel slightly uncomfortable about the whole situation.

  * Thank you, professor – he said quietly.

  * So, I take it as you'll start paying attention to the lessons again? - the man asked, looking straight into Robb's blue eyes.



  * Yes – the boy replied, feeling slightly alarmed with the teacher's tone of voice.




There was yet another moment of silence as Robb thought professor Baelish is trying to stare a whole inside of him, but eventualy the man moved back and smiled in a warm, welcoming way.

  * I'm glad to hear that – he said. - You're free now. Have a nice day.

  * You too, professor – Robb replied, and walked out of the office as quickly as it was only possible.




What even was that?! Robb could swear that each time he gets to talk with professor Baelish, it gets even creepier. This time, however, was the first time that Robb could say he was truly frightened by the Potions teacher. He did have a lot of respect for him before, but now he was starting to get worried. The thing he said at the end. _“Maybe even the life of a person you care about.”_ The way he said it has literally sent shivers down Robb's spine. What did he even mean by that? Should he be scared that something bad may happen to his loved ones? Could professor Baelish hurt them?

Thoughts like that have followed Robb all the way back to his room. He wasn't too keen on getting back there. It may have sounded weird considering it was his room after all, but he didn't like spending time there that much anymore. In his own bedroom back home he felt great. Here he was just a visitor that can get kicked out any moment. Luckily, this time it wasn't going to get too awkward, as the only other person present at the moment was Podrick. You know, the only one who still liked him.

  * Hi there – the boy said as Robb entered.

  * Hi – he replied.

  * What did Baelish want from you?

  * Who even knows what does he want anymore? - the brown-haired boy said, grabbing the book off his nightstand and turning to leave.




He didn't expect that anyone might want him to stay in here any longer, and yet Podrick was standing in his way, apparently not going to let him go anywhere. In his eyes Robb could see he was feeling slightly uncomfortable in his presence. Well, to be honest they've barely spoken since the beginning of the year. It's not that Pod was acting rude towards him. Actually, even before the summer holiday began, when the atmosphere in the room was even more tense than it was now, Podrick has never done anything that made Robb feel bad. It was just that spending time with Torrhen, Wendel and Talisa meant spending less time with him. It was hard for Robb to be mad at his roommate, especially considering all that has happened between them, but he couldn't deny feeling a bit upset about it. He thought they were friends again. Friends talk. They do not avoid each other.

  * Robb – Podrick began – I know it's been a while since we've had the chance to talk to each other. I just wanted to tell you that I've heard about what happened in the Great Hall with Talisa.




Great. That was the last thing Robb wanted to talk about right now. All he needed was for everyone to forget that such thing ever happened or at least pretend like it didn't. Was it so hard?

  * Oh – was all he managed to reply with.

  * We all think that Ramsay has crossed the line – the chubby Hufflepuff said.

  * All of you?

  * Yeah, all of us – Podrick nodded his head. - You know; me, Wendel, Torrhen... Talisa.




That said he took a deep look into Robb's bright blue eyes. Surely, it seemed like a serious conversation was coming his way.

  * She's worried about you, Robb. She was really concerned when you ran out of the hall.

  * How do you know that? - the brown-haired boy asked.

  * She told me herself – Podrick replied. - She wanted to follow you, but she saw that Greyjoy has done so already and didn't want to cause you any more trouble.




Well, maybe she should've done the same as Greyjoy? He could've done with another shoulder to cry on back then. Maybe it would even helped them finally bury the hatchet and move on from this stupid situation. Instead, it was even worse than it used to be before. Besides, if Talisa was so worried about him, why wouldn't she tell him herself? A lot of time has passed since Ramsay's prank, and he still hasn't heard a word from her. Well, she did seem to be giving him way more concerned looks than she used to do before, but that's a completely different case. Looking at someone was not equal to talking to him, comforting him, making him feel better. Technically, he should've just considered himself lucky that she even acknowledged his existence in the first place. After all, he was aware of what he's done. Still, with each passing day it was getting harder for him to deny the feeling of resentment towards the way his friends treated him. He has changed and has been trying to prove it ever since the beginning of the school year. What else could he possibly do to convince them?

  * Well – he began, not sure of what to say – that's nice of her, I guess.

  * Robb – Podrick replied immediately, with a pompous tone of his voice – I know that Torrhen and the rest may have been giving you a hard time over that whole house thing, but just so you know, if you had any problems concerning Ramsay or anything else, just remember that we will always have your back.




As much as the Hufflepuff believed that his friend was telling him the truth on his behalf, he couldn't say he was sure if the rest of them shared the same enthusiasm. From what he's seen so far, Torrhen tries to avoid talking to him on every occasion, his interactions with Wendel were limited to quick exchanges in passing, and Talisa... well, no comment was needed here. That's why, despite truly believing in Podrick's noble intentions, he didn't feel particularly comforted by what the boy just said.

  * I'll keep it in mind – he said with a bittersweet smile. - Thanks, Podrick.

  * No problem – the boy replied. - Just so you know, if anything goes wrong, I'm willing to personally defend you in front of Ramsay Bolton and the entire school... unless it comes to a fist-fight. I've never done that before, and quite frankly I'm sure I would do terrible at it.




Even being as disconsolated by the talk as Robb was, the Hufflepuff couldn't help but chuckle hearing the comment made by Podrick. Yeah, he couldn't imagine the boy fist-fighting for his honour in front of Ramsay Bolton either. To be honest, that was the one thing he could have handled himself, granted that his enemy isn't an expert in that field (and he had an inescapable feeling that he was).

  * I'm pretty sure you won't have to worry about it – he said with a smile, this time a true one. - Thanks for the talk, Pod.

  * You're welcome. - the boy replied as Robb headed off towards the library.




Nothing seemed to foreshadow that anything else might happen today. The day was slowly coming to an end, everyone was busy with their own stuff, and he was headed towards the library, by far the most boring place in the entire building. What could possibly happen in there? Well, his earlier talk with Podrick wasn't going to be the only one he was going to have to sit through. Having put back the book he borrowed from the library a week ago, the boy turned around to leave, but for some reason he stopped. Something in there has caught his attention. Robb took a step backwards to take a look into the previous section of the library, and only then he noticed Wendel sitting by the table on the opposite side of the room. He didn't seem too happy at the moment, and the angry huff he released was only an indication that something was off. In front of him was a straightened piece of parchment with something scribbled on it. Whatever was going on, it seemed like Wendel would really appreciate no one talking to him right now. However, the sight of his friend in a state like that has rendered Robb worried about him, which was exactly why Robb has decided to try and talk to him. After all, he has made a fool out of himself in front of the whole school already. It's not like anything worse was going to happen to him if he talks to Wendel.

  * Are you alright?




The Hufflepuff raised his head up immediately, surprised to hear someone speaking to him, but dropped it down as soon as he noticed Robb standing next to him. Clearly he was expecting someone... you know, who was not Robb.

  * Yeah, I'm fine – he replied.

  * You don't look fine – his roommate replied worriedly, taking a quick glance at the piece of parchment laying on the table.




Written at the top of it in large letters was _“Uses of Flobberworm Mucus in potion-making.”_ Robb instantly recognized the topic of a Potions essay due to tomorrow. An essay that was already waiting safely under his bed to be delivered during the lesson. Wendel's essay, on the other hand, was still in very early stages of work, having only been completed down to the first paragraph. Nothing beyond.

  * Is that the Potions essay? - Robb asked, despite already knowing the answer.

  * Maybe – Wendel replied grumpily.

  * You know that it's due to tomorrow, right?

  * Dear God – the chubby Hufflepuff snapped out of nowhere, clearly not happy with the question. – Yes, I know that it's due to tomorrow. I forgot about it, and I have to do it now. Happy?Could you leave me alone now? It's bad enough as it is. I don't need you distracting me to make things worse.




Wendel's words stung Robb particularly bad. He was just worried. He didn't come up here just to annoy or distract him. What kind of person did Wendel think he is? Okay, Robb may have done some stupid things last year, but didn't he get punished enough by now? Was treating him like that really necessary? Wendel returned to writing, and Robb stood next to him for few more seconds before eventually backing out slowly. He couldn't deny he felt really hurt right now. _“We'll always be there for you.”_ Yeah, right. Maybe Podrick. The rest of them have given up on Robb Stark long ago. Every single part of him wanted to leave the library as quickly as possible and hide away somewhere where no one would find him, but, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not sure if he was making the right decision, Robb took a deep breath, clenched his fists and took a turn into the “Potions” section of the library. A minute later he appeared by Wendel's table, slamming few heavy books onto the tabletop, and taking a seat opposite the boy.

  * What are yous still doing in here? - Wendel asked, still rather grumpily, but without as much fire present in his voice as before.

  * Helping you with the essay – Robb replied calmly. - I'm not going to leave you to do it alone.

  * I _can_ do it alone – the chubby boy snapped back, taking offense in the offer.

  * I know you can – his roommate said in response.- I just thought that you might deal with it way more quickly if you had someone to help you out. Am I not right?




That was an argument that a highly logical person like Wendel could not fight back against. He was a clever guy. He must've known that if he wanted to do it by himself, he would finish late at night. With Robb's help, however, he was surely going to end way earlier than that. The boy took few seconds of silence to consider the offer, but eventually he sighed, rolled his eyes and nodded his head in agreement.

  * Fine – he said - you can stay if you want to.




Robb didn't reply. Instead, he just shook his head in disbelief and opened one of the books laying in front of him, trying to find anything on the Flubberworm Mucus. Still better than the Bat Spleens.

At first the cooperation between the two boys didn't fare too well, mostly because of Wendel's sense of pride, which didn't allow him to take any suggestions from someone who betrayed his trust, no matter how helpful they would be. Robb, however, was patient with him, not getting into any fights that his roommate tried to spark up so desperately. By the time they've reached the fourth paragraph, however, their teamwork seemed to be getting better. It took them good two hours, but in the end they've managed to finish the essay. Even though Robb couldn't have been sure if it wasn't just a figment of his imagination, but he swore he's seen Wendel smiling after he finally put the quill down onto the table.

  * I can't believe we've finally done this – Wendel said, as both boys were heading back to the Hufflepuff dormitories.

  * Neither do I – Robb replied. - It seemed like it was going to be forever until we finish it.

  * You know, for a while I was getting afraid that we won't make it in time, but we did.

  * See? - the brown-haired boy asked. - I've told you everything will be okay.




As they've reached the nook in the wall, which led to the common room, Wendel took a step towards the barrels, tapping one of the rhythmically to open the door leading to it, and then took a look at his friend.

  * Robb – he said – you know that it doesn't change anything between us, right? I'm still mad at you.

  * I know – the boy nodded his head. - That's not why I helped you.

  * Then why did you help me? - Wendel asked, crossing arms on his chest.

  * That's just what friends do – Robb replied, heading off into the common room by himself.




To be honest, Robb was really surprised that Wendel may have interpreted his actions that way. He wasn't doing it just to get on his good side. That wasn't the reason. The reason was that Wendel used to be his friend, and whether he liked it or not, Robb still considered him to be one, and he didn't want him to sit in front of this stupid essay until five in the morning. He didn't want to see him upset or tired. He just felt he needed to help him. He knew Wendel might not return the favor, but he didn't care about it. Considering how many toxic things have been happening in his life recently, one extra good deed seemed like a good idea. Besides, he finally had the chance to talk to Wendel again. He knew he missed being friends with him before, but only now did he realize how much. He missed all of them. Wendel. Torrhen. Talisa. Even if they were never going to want to be friends with him again, it was nice to pretend that at least one of them would coinsider such option at least for two hours.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, after torturing Robb for seven chapters straight, I've decided that it was high time for him to succeed in something. After all, he is my favorite GoT character, and one of the reasons I write this story is because he deserved better. I know that it's quite a small victory for him, but it had to start with something. Don't worry, soon good fortune might just come back to Robb. Karma may be a bitch, but she rewards good deeds. Also, every single conversation Robb and Baelish have immediately becomes one of my favorite things I've written so far. This one even moreso, especially when I know what's coming up and you guys don't.
> 
> After I come back from my two-week break, get ready for I have prepared something special for you. It's high time the Hufflepuffs had the chance to show off their skills on the Quidditch pitch. Who will be their opponents? Where does Robb fall in all of this? Make sure to come back in two weeks to find that out.


	9. Versus Ravenclaw

There are things that are important, and then there are things that are even more important, and to Hogwarts's students, Quidditch has definitely been the more important thing. Seriously, if there was one thing that could get every single person in school going, it was the annual Inter-House Quidditch Cup. Why exactly was it so important to the students? Well, first of all, Quidditch is awesome. The next thing is that during times as intense as the November studying period, the school tournaments was one of the few occasions where the students could temporarily forget about the upoming Charms exam and Potions essay. The fact that all the players were rather well-known to them also helped. In Hogwarts being a part of the Quidditch team was a key to gaining popularity at school. I mean: Harrion, Rakharo, Daryn, these were all commonly known and well-liked people. Of course, there were few exceptions to the rule, Robb being one of them, but there was no denying that being a part of the Quidditch team brought some recognition to your name. That recognition was the last resort for the boy. He couldn't mess it up now.

So far, Robb's social life during his second year at Hogwarts was basically a sinusoid containing of very high highs and very low lows. It wasn't all bad. He has managed to fix a few things, make new friends and even get into the Quidditch team. Kind of. On the other hand, Torrhen still didn't want to talk to him and Talisa... let's just skip this one. At least Wendel's hatred towards the boy has ceased slightly after he has helped him with the Potions essay. Now the boys were back to fully neutral interactions between each other. It wasn't great, but it was enough for now. However, Robb didn't want to leave things at the neutral level. He had bigger ambitions, which could've been helped by his participation in the Quidditch Cup. Maybe if his friends have seen him playing for Hufflepuff, scoring goal after goal while dressed in yellow and black, then they would see that Robb has changed and he wasn't embarrassed of them or their house. He was aware of the fact that it might not come so easily, but he wasn't willing to take the risk. If there was anything he could do to get his friends back, he would do it without thinking twice.

  * So – Theon began, taking a look at Robb from beyond the table – how are we feeling today?




As it usually happened during the breakfast, Robb got paid a quick visit by Theon, Jon and Sam. Technically, it wasn't anything out of ordinary, yet considering the circumstances of today, the Hufflepuff couldn't deny he was thankful they've thought of him. He wouldn't like to spend his last hours before the match all by himself, gorging on whatever was in front of him and crying about how everyone hates him.

  * Quite okay – the brown-haired boy replied. - Been worse.

  * Aren't you nervous?

  * Of course, he's nervous – Jon snapped at Theon, visibly frustrated with stupidity of the question. - It's his first game.

  * Jon – Robb frowned at his brother, unhappy with his reaction.




It was obvious that the more time he and Theon have spent together, the more Jon was growing tired of the boy. Obviously, it didn't make Robb any happier as both of them were his best friends right now and he really hoped that they would get along with each other. Luckily, this time the Hufflepuff's gaze was enough to end the exchange between them, as Jon immediately went quiet and hung his head low in shame.

  * I _am_ nervous – he replied. - I've barely even had any sleep last night. I've played Quidditch before, but not like that. Not in front of the entire school. If I mess up, everyone will see it. Besides...




There he stopped to take a bite of a pancake generously covered in maple syrup, and then he continued with his mouth full.

  * I don't think I'll get the chance to play at all today.




Yeah, there was also one more problem with Robb's plan of getting his friends back. He hasn't made it to the main team. He was a substitute and there was a huge chance he won't even get a chance to play at all this year, let alone this very first match. See, amongst the sea of very complicated and confusing Quidditch there was this one which said that no substitution of players was allowed throughout the game, no matter if a player got injured or was to tired to play anymore. Because of this rule, basically the only hope of Robb playing in today's match was that one of the Chasers suddenly suffers from an injury right before the match. Of course, he didn't wish for anything bad to happen to any of the players on his team, in fact he hoped they put on the best fight they can, but it would've been cool just to try.

  * Maybe you will play? - Sam butted in. - I've read the statistics and about twenty percent of the injuries happen before the players even get on their broomstick, and only half of those are caused by the opposing team.




Then the boy smiled brightly and dug into his own plate, glad he could help to make Robb feel better.

  * That most likely won't happen during the school games – Jon said, trying to make up for his friend's comment – ot at least not until the match against Slytherin.

  * Yeah – Theon nodded his head – and, besides, I'm pretty sure you'll get the chance to play way sooner than you think.

  * Really? - Robb asked.

  * Of course, I'm planning to spend the entire day praying for Daryn Hornwood to fall off the stairs just to make place for you.




Okay, this made Robb feel bad about himself. Daryn was far from being his favorite person, but he didn't want anything bad to happen to him. Especially before the match. The sixth-year was a far better player than him, and surely it would've been better for Hufflepuff if he played for them instead.

  * I don't think that will help Theon – Robb said shyly, to which Theon responded with a devious smile.

  * I guess we'll see.




Still, as Robb entered the changing room, it seemed like Theon's voodoo spell was yet to work as Daryn Hornwood looked remarkably not dismembered that day. Actually, it was quite the opposite. The sixth-year seemed to be feeling just fine. You could just see how hellbent he was on winning the match for his house. Rest of the team has also been in their fighting trim. Apparently the first match was also supposed to be their easiest match as the Ravenclaws have never been particularly well-known for their Quidditch skills. The winners of the Quidditch Cup have usually been either Gryffindors or Slytherins, and most of the rivalry would take place between those two houses. Hufflepuff would usually just come in third or even fourth on a particularly bad year, just like the last one. That's exactly why for the past few years Puffs have been so hellbent on finally winning the Quidditch Cup and proving all the naysayers wrong.You could see it. Rakharo and Harrion have currently been busy discussing all the possible strategies to use against their opponents. Even the usually laid-back Loras seemed more excited than ever.

  * How does it feel? - Robb asked him.

  * What?

  * How does it feel to know that in a minute you'll be playing in front of the entire school?

  * Quite motivating, actually – the blond replied. - Although I must say I'm a bit nervous. After all, it's my first match.

  * You didn't play before? - Robb looked at him in surprise. - Like, ever? Not even for a minute?

  * No, this is my first time.

  * It kind of sucks they didn't let you play before – the brown-haired boy said.

  * Maybe a bit – Loras replied with a shrug. - But what to do? I was a substitute. I should've known I most likely won't play during my first...




There he stopped, realizing that finishing this sentence around Robb perhaps wasn't the best idea.

  * Yeah – the blond continued – you know what? Now that I think of it, it did kind of suck. Too bad I didn't have as much luck as you will. Now excuse me, but I've promised Renly that I'll meet with him before the match.




Somehow Robb didn't really believe in the boy's swift escape being anything more than a way to cut the awkward conversation short, but before he managed to say anything, Loras was already gone. Apparently, he disappeared almost as quickly as he materialized himself right next to you. However, it seemed like there were more important things to be worried about as only now that the blond has left did Robb notice Torrhen sitting on one of the benches in the corner of the changing room. Something's changed about him, yet he couldn't quite realize what it was. Only after a while did Robb realize that never before did he see the boy worried. Angry? Yes. Sad? Once of twice. Paranoid? Always... but never worried. Surely he didn't like the sight of that. Actually, he even wanted to march up towards the boy and try to strike up a conversation with him, but luckily a sudden appearance of someone else in the room has changed his mind.

  * Torr! There you are! - came a simultaneous yell courtesy of Wendel and Podrick.

  * Wendel?! Pod?! - Torrhen asked, clearly surprised by the visit. - What are you doing in here?!

  * We told you we were going to visit you before the match – Podrick replied casually.

  * Don't tell me you forgot about it already – said Wendel, crossing his arms on his chest.




Seeing as he didn't have any valid counterarguments, the blond smiled goofily and pulled his friends into a hug. Even considering the glaring absence of one person, Robb couldn't help but smile watching all of Torrhen's sorrows momentarily disappear. They may have not been friends anymore, but that didn't mean he didn't worry about him at all by now. Not expecting any visitors himself, Robb turned around to change into his Quidditch clothing, only to be surprised when a moment later he heard someone say his name. As he turned around, he noticed Wendel and Podrick standing right in front of him with shy smiles on their faces.

  * Hi – the shorter boy started.

  * Hi – Robb replied, visibly taken aback. – You came to visit Torrhen before the match, right?

  * Actually, we came here to visit both of you – Wendel clarified. - Look, me and Podrick have just wanted to say that we're sorry that you didn't get into the main team this year.

  * On the other hand – the other Hufflepuff added – that means you'll surely get the chance to play next year.

  * Yeah – the chubby boy nodded his head in agreement – besides maybe someone will get injured or won't be able to play. Then you're the first on the list.

  * I guess what we've been trying to say is – Podrick said eventually – good luck, whatever happens during the match.




Robb was fully aware of the dumb smile on his face, yet he wasn't too keen on changing it. For the first time ever since the beginning of the year it seemed like he was making any progress in his relationship with the boys. Wendel barely even acknowledged his existence at first, and now he was wishing him good luck of his own free will. That seemed to good to be true. Maybe it was? Maybe he was sleeping? Who cares, though? If it was a dream, then surely he didn't want to wake up from it.

  * I-I don't know what to say – Robb stuttered out, clearly emotional. - Thank you.

  * No problem, Robb – Podrick replied with a warm smile.

  * Also – Wendel added – I think there's someone else waiting to see you before the match begins.




This time there were no surprises, but the sight of Theon waiting for Robb by the changing rooms definitely counted as a pleasant one.

  * You kind of look like a superhero in that cape – he remarked, looking at the long yellow cape waving behind the boy.



  * But people actually like superheroes – Robb replied, prompting an eye roll from the Slytherin.

  * So how is Hornwood? - Theon asked with a wicked grin. - Still fine?

  * As fine as ever.

  * Damn it! - the blonde-haired boy snapped.

  * Theon! - Robb reprimanded his friend.

  * What? I'm being supportive – that said the boy smiled in such innocent way that Robb couldn't stay mad at him for much longer. - So, you don't think you are going to play today?

  * I don't think so – Robb sighed. - You really don't have to sit around here just to support me. I bet I won't even have the chance to take a seat on the broomstick.

  * I know – Theon replied quickly – but I will stay. Just in case.




Robb hung his head low as he heard his friend's comment, trying to pretend he was unaffected by it. Still, he couldn't deny that a slight blush has appeared on his cheeks as he heard that.

  * Thanks – he said, scratching the back of his head, all flustered

  * Don't you think that it's all about you, though – Theon replied. - I've heard that the Ravenclaw Chasers are quite pretty.




Hearing that, Robb rolled his eyes and pushed the boy lightly, almost knocking him off his feet. Apparentlym they've had a different definition of “lightly.” He didn't know why that comment irked him so much, but it did. For a short moment he was afraid he has done something to Theon by accident, but the boy just laughed it off and pushed Robb back, this time much more delicately. Sadly, that pleasant moment didn't last too long as that's exactly when the Hufflepuff heard Rakharo calling his name from inside the changing rooms.

  * Hey, Robb! – he yelled out, peeking out the door. - The captain's calling everyone inside! Come quickly!

  * Looks like it's time for me to go – Robb said.

  * Then I'll guess I'll just make my way to the stands – Theon replied, grabbing Robb by the shoulders. - Kick their asses, Stark.

  * I'll do my best, Greyjoy.




With one more smile, the blond walked away towards the stands, not wanting to miss any of the match. Robb was also about to go inside the changing room and listen to whatever Brienne had to say to the team before they go out into the pitch, but suddenly he came to a realization that his older friend was still nowhere to be seen.

  * Loras?! - he called to no response.




A moment later, however, he heard someone panting, and from beyond the wall of the pitch, appeared Loras himself, with a bright smile painted all over his face.

  * You called me? - he asked.

  * Yeah – Robb replied. - Brienne is calling everyone inside. Where have you been?

  * I've told you I was talking to Renly.




Only then did Robb notice a slight blush forming on the blond's cheeks. It was the same kind that crept up onto his own face whenever he was embarrassed by something. Loras, however, didn't seem embarrassed at all. Actually, he seemed remarkably cheerful for his usual chilled-out persona. But why? All he did was talk to Renly. Was that the reason of the boy's sudden happiness?

Moving past Loras's strange behaviour, by the time boys have made it into the area behind the changing rooms, every single member of the team has already been gathered around Brienne. As he entered the place, Robb mouthed “sorry” to the tall girl, who only nodded her head understandingly in response and then cleared her throat, signalizing that it was time for a pep talk.

 

 

  * In a matter of few minutes me and six of your teammates will get out of this room, headed straight towards the pitch, where our team will face off with the united forces of the Ravenclaw house. We've been preparing for it for some time already. I've seen you playing before, and I can tell you that I truly believe that this year we are going to make it. We are going to defeat the Gryffindors. We are going to defeat the Slytherins, but now, all we have to do is defeat the Ravenclaws. This time we won't let them win. We have a great, well-coordinated team full of people with true passion for what they're doing. That's the most important thing. Don't forget what you're fighting for. Don't play for the points. Don't play for the house. Don't play for me. Play for yourselves. Play to show the others what are you truly capable of. It's high time to show the other houses what we – the Badgers – can do.




A choir of excited cheers could've been heard as Brienne nodded her head, thankful for the warm reception, and then the team headed off into a tunnel leading towards the pitch. They've walked in pairs, Briene and Irri in the front, Rakharo and Daryn following right behind. Robb and Loras were fourth, right behind the Karstark brothers. Despite the overall feeling of excitement, everyone was quiet. Not even Torrhen was speaking, which was quite a rare occurence. Just fifteen people heading in silence towards their destination. Robb took a quick glance at Loras's face, which has by now gained a more serious expression. He surely wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was clearly worried about the impending game. Still, he has played on this pitch before. He has been practising in here ever since September almost every evening. How different could that be from playing an actual game?

A lot, apparently. Right as the gate opened, the first thing Robb could've heard was cheering. Only then, in a flash of white light, did he see hundreds of people sitting at the stands, peering out from their seats to take a closer look at the players. He couldn't deny how awesome it felt. Walking through the wide open space. The wind blowing through his brown curls. The vision of an open field in front of him. The sight of everyone cheering for him and his team. It was hard to notice any particular faces in the cheering crowd above as now it was completely engulfed in the waving yellow-and-black memorabilia. However, he knew very well that somewhere amongst this mass hidden were his friends. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to present himself in the best light possible, the brown-haired boy puffed his chest proudly and smiled, listening to the cheers coming from the stands. This seemed like a moment he would want to last forever.

  * Good evening, students – a booming voice sounded all over the place – and welcome to the second match of our annual Inter-House Quidditch Playoffs. My name is professor Tyrion Lannister.

  * And I'm professor Olenna Tyrell – another voice, this time female, could've been heard – and we are going to be your commentators through today's meeting.

  * After a particularly exciting match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, which resulted in the surprising loss of the lions' team, it's time for our two remaining teams to face off. It seems like there's a very exciting face-off ahead of us, isn't it?

  * Indeed, it is, Tyrion – the woman replied.




Somewhere far away, on the other side of the pitch, Robb could make out few bluish silhouettes appearing on the horizon. Surely these must've been their opponents – the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team. Apparently, they weren't nowhere as famous for their achievements as their Gryffindor counterparts. Actually, they have been much closer to Hufflepuff when it came down to that. Still, taking such rivals for granted would've been highly irresponsible. No matter how good their sports skills were, Ravenclaws have always been famed for their creativity. They could easily find their way out of difficult situations, aided by a brief moment of quick thinking. Hufflepuff's advantage was nowhere as big as anyone could've thought. Robb knew it very well, and it seemed like his teammates have known about it as well. Brienne has already warned them not to underestimate the Ravenclaws. Surely, it's what they'd like their opponents to do. Clever bastards. Clenching his fists, Robb followed his friends in the back, taking a turn straight towards the middle of the pitch, when he felt someone grabbing him by the shoulder.

  * What are you doing? - one of the boys he has met at the tryouts said. - We're taking the bench.




It took Robb a second or two before he could realize what's going on, but eventually he nodded his head and reluctantly followed the rest of the team towards the said bench. He knew he wasn't not on the main team. He knew it very well, but he kind of hoped that maybe the entire team would be able to go into the middle of the pitch to meet their rivals. Still, seeing as he was wrong, he took a seat on the bench with a sullen expression. Well, it always could've been worse.

The crowd went into a frenzy as both teams met in the middle of the field. Right now they were exchanging handshakes and chatting about nothing in particular, but Robb knew very well that it wasn't going to last too long. In a minute or two the match would start, and all the mutual friendliness would be gone. Such was the beauty of Quidditch. It was hard to find a sport quite as competitive as this one.

Captain of the Ravenclaw team – Gunthor Hightower, stood in the middle of the field along with Brienne, discussing something fiercely between each other. The boy, while quite tall himself, had nothing on the Hufflepuff. The girl easily towered over him. It was almost like a visual pun on his surname. Hightower. Well, good luck towering over her. Despite that, Gunthor didn't seem too worried. After all, they did hammer the Puffs last year. Why wouldn't they do it now? Eventually, sir Selmy appeared on the pitch, putting end to all the conversations, as the players got back on their designed positions. The man placed a huge brown box in the middle of the field and then took a look at both teams, standing on their respective parts of the field.

  * Get on your broomticks! – he said loudly.




The students reacted quickly, taking a seat on their broomsticks, and then proceeded to bolt right upwards into the sky. The loud cheers from above have ceased slightly in anticipation. Now it was only a matter of seconds before the match has started.

Seeing as everyone was ready to go, sir Selmy opened the box to reveal four balls contained inside of it. The biggest of them all, Quaffle, was the only inanimate object of them all. It laid right between two rather large balls made of pure iron commonly known as Bludgers. They were shaking furiously, trying to free their way out of the chains they were contained by. The last one, smallest of them all, was the Golden Snitch. If a Seeker catches it, the match is over. That's why it was so important not to catch it too early in the game. You wouldn't want to attract the other Seeker's attenion and cost your team a win in the first few minutes of the game. That said, there were a few times where suh risky strategy has paid off. Still, was it something Robb would recommed to his teammates? Definitely, no.

A moment later, the tiny ball got released into the air, spreading its translucent wings and flying off immediately with a tremendous speed. Then the Quaffles shot up straight towards they sky, becoming nearly invisible from Robb's perspective. As much as he wanted to play, he was glad he wasn't going to have to deal with them for the entire game. In the end, sir Selmy took the Quaffle in his hand and looked up at the students, hovering about sixteen feet above him.

  * I want this to be a good match – he said. - You understand me?




Brienne nodded her head off-matter, her gaze already fixed on her opponents. You could feel her determination even from the substitutes' bench. Not everyone, however, seemed to be feeling quite as confident in themselves as their captain. It was hard for Robb to remind himself if he has ever seen Loras looking so worried about anything before. The usually rosy complexion of his skin has now taken a milky white color. Still, it was nothing compared to the look of sheer panic on the face of Torrhen Karstark. The boy looked as if he was a few moments from passing out. Not that Robb could blame him. He'd probably react the same if he was in his place. If not worse.

A deathly hush fell onto the stands as everyone has been waiting for the match to start with their breaths held back. Sir Selmy gripped the Quaffle tight in his hand as he took one more look at both teams, then lowered his position, proceeding to throw the ball up into the air and...

  * And so it begins! - professor Lannister exclaimed loudly.




The crowd, once again, went into an ultimate frenzy as the Chasers dived towards the falling Quaffle. Eventually, it ended up in the quick hands of Gunthor Hightower, who managed to catch it just before Brienne did. The sixth-year flew upwards and then threw the ball right into the arms of a female Seeker. Even considering they were on the opposite sides, Robb had to admit that Theon was right about them. The Ravenclaw female seekers have indeed been rather attractive.

  * A quick reaction from the team captain, Gunthor Hightower – the teacher said, over the loud-speaking device. - What an exciting way to start the game, isn't it?

  * I've seen more exciting – professor Tyrell remarked unimpressed.




Why has the woman even been proposed to be the commentator for the school's Quidditch play-offs? Robb had no idea, but he couldn't say he didn't find the perspective of having to listen to the Herbology teacher's snarktastic remarks for the whole game amusing.

  * The Quaffle gets passed on to Gwyneth Yronwood... Eleanor Mooton... Yronwood again... she's about to shoot and... ooh! She drops it.

  * Oh, what a shame - the elderly woman added, clearly not too interested in the game.




The ball fell out of the pretty brunette's hand as another ball, this one way more dangerous, shoot right past her, courtesy of Harrion Karstark. During his three years in the team, the boy managed to learn how to use the Bludgers to his own advantage. Yronwood looked at him with surprise in her eyes, to which he only replied with the wink of an eye, before flying away. In the meantime, the Hufflepuff seekers have gained control over the Quaffle and have been heading towards the Ravenclaw goal posts.

  * Brienne Tarth... Irri Acharia... Tarth again... Daryn Hornwood... Tarth... and goal! - the Transfiguration teacher yelled out as the Quaffle went through the right hoop, which was left unguarded by the Ravenclaw's Keeper.




The yellow-dressed part of the crowd has exploded with spontaneous applause, while the other half clenched their first in worry. Numbers on the scoreboards have switched to 0:10. In the span of next few minutes two other goals, both scored by Daryn Hornwood, have increased the Hufflepuff's amount of points to thirty. Their lead over the Ravenclaws was starting to grow significant. Even considering his personal antipathy towards the sixth-year boy, Robb couldn't deny he was happy to see his house winning. Hufflepuff has always been overlooked in every single field. Even Ravenclaws, despite not being best at Quidditch, had their intelligence to back them up. The Hufflepuffs had it as well, but it was never enough for them to get noticed for it.It was never enough for them. It was high time the badgers have finally proven what they were truly capable of.

Sadly, not even a minute after the last goal, Gwyneth Yronwood has managed to make it to the Hufflepuff goal posts and shot a beautiful goal, right over Loras's raised arm.

  * And, despite Tyrell's biggest efforts, Ravenclaws finally gain their first ten points.




Robb didn't even need to look at Loras to know how he must've looked right now. He has known him only for about a year now, but he knew very well that the boy hated when things don't go his way. Despite Brienne claiming that it was okay, Loras seemed downright bummed out by the Ravenclaw's goal. Not to mention the second one, which got scored by Gunthor Hightower few minutes later. The lead Hufflepuffs had over the other team was decreasing in size minute after minute. As Hightower has scored another goal, it was becoming obvious that Loras was beginning to lose composure. These haven't exactly been the best news for the entire team.

  * What the heck, dude? - Daryn asked during a quick break in game. - We're losing the lead.

  * I'm doing my best, Hornwood – Loras snapped back at him.

  * Well, then do better. I'm not planning on losing our very first match this schoolyear.




That said he flew away, towards the middle of the pitch, with Brienne taking his place by the blond.

  * Loras, are you okay?

  * Yes, I am.

  * Just wanted to know – she said. - You're not looking too well.

  * I'm fine! - Loras snapped back eventually. - Really!




Brienne seemed surprised by the boy's emotional reaction, but eventually she just nodded her head and returned to her position. Robb couldn't help but feel bad for him. Loras was a really good Keeper, but you could see he was incredibly nervous over the match. Normally, he would've easily defended all three of the shots, yet today he was clearly way too distraught to do it. It wasn't his fault. Also, the fact that Hornwood gave him crap over it didn't make things any better. As if he was doing any better...

Right as Robb has thought so, Daryn scored the fourth goal for the Hufflepuffs, proving that he was indeed doing better than Loras. Clearly he was having a good day. Usually, he would get outshined by both Brienne and Irri when it came to scoring goals, but today the girls have clearly taken the backseat, letting their teammate shine. Still, it was hard not to see that both of them were remarkably good at what they were doing. In fact, during the first ten minutes of match, Irri has managed to save more balls than any other Chaser in the game. It sucked that it was Daryn and not her or Brienne who was getting all the attention.

  * And here we go again – professor Lannister announced as the next attack began. - The ball is with Hightower... he passes it over to Yronwood... Yronwood... Mooton... Hightower... and-




Right as the Ravenclaw captain was about to score another goal, suddenly a Bludger has appeared right in front of him, forcing him to quickly change the direction in which he was flying. This time, however, it was not Harrion who was the one responsible.

  * Hufflepuff Beater, Torrhen Karstark, cuts the action short – the commentator said, to which the boy reacted with a proud face.




The crowd cheered loudly, and Robb was sure he can hear Wendel and Podrick somewhere between them all.

  * Thank God – professor Tyrell added. - It was boring anyway. Do you remember the Quidditch Cup of '28? Now that was a good game.

  * Weren't you a player back then? - the other teacher asked.

  * I've said it was a good game.




As the commentators have gotten into another heated discussion, the Ravenclaws have resumed their attack. Seeing that, all the Chasers have followed right after them, trying to stop their opponents in their race towards victory, but it seemed too late now. Even Harrion's well-led Bludgers weren't enough to stop the combined forces of the raven's house. Hightower passed the ball to Yronwood... Yronwood to Mooton... Mooton to Yronwood... and... they didn't score. In the last moment, the back of Loras's quick-moving broom blocked the Quaffle from going through the hoops. Another round of applause followed, with one person in particular being happy to see his friend succeed.

  * Woo! - Renly yelled out at the top of his lungs. - That was amazing! Loras, that was amazing! Did you see that?! Did you see that?!




Even from high above the blond could hear his friend screaming. He just smiled, biting his lower lip, and turned his attention back to the match. Yeah, the good old Loras was back.

  * See? - the Herbology teacher asked loudly. - That's my grandson. He got it after me.

  * The Hufflepuffs are counterattacking – professor Lannister said, taking the woman's comment for granted. - Tarth passes the ball to Hornwood... Hornwood to Acharia... Acharia... Hornwood and...




Even before he managed to finish, there was a loud roar as the ball passed through one of the hoops, bringing the score up to fifty points. Hufflepuffs were winning. A loud chanting could've been heard amongst the crowd. At first it was hard for Robb to make out what they were saying, but after a while he realized that they were chanting Hornwood's name over and over again. The boy noticed it, puffing his chest proudly on his broomstick. For some reason, this has striken a bad chord with Robb. They loved him? Daryn Hornwood? But why? He has never been anything but rude to him and the other players? Besides, he wasn't even that much of a good player. He may have scored more goals than anyone else during this match, but he surely wasn't the best player on the entire team. Many other people deserved the applause way more than him: Brienne, Irri, Rakharo, Harrion... him. Oh, no. Was that the reason of his anger? Was he jealous of Daryn's success? Whatever the answer was, he knew one thing. He couldn't just keep on sitting in here, watching Hornwood flying around with that stupid look on his face. He needed to leave, even if only for a moment.

  * Hey, where are you going? - one of the other substitutes asked, as the boy got off the bench.

  * Outside – he replied shortly as he headed off towards the nearest exit from the pitch.




As he found himself outside, Robb rested his head against the wall of the structure, sliding down to have a sit on the ground. Burying his head behind his legs, he closed his eyes and wondered why was he even angry enough to leave the match he was waiting for ever since the beginning of the year. Maybe “angry” wasn't even the best way to describe what Robb was feeling at the moment? Then maybe he was upset? No, that wasn't it either. Honestly, what Robb was feeling right now was a complete, deep disappointment in himself. Being a part of the Quidditch was supposed to be an atonement for his sins. It was supposed to make him become a better person. Yet, here he was, standing outside the Quidditch pitch, unable to even watch the match because of his pathetic jealousy towards Hornwood. He gripped the striped handle of his Tigresa tightly in his hand. He has gotten it from his uncle last year, so that he could play Quidditch as much as he wanted to. Apparently, this wasn't going to work out the way he hoped it would. _“Sorry, not today”_ Robb thought to himself. He felt almost as if the broom was disappointed in him. What was wrong with him?

  * What are you doing in here?




Robb raised his head, expecting to see Theon standing above him, but he was wrong. The person talking to him was much taller than the Slytherin, and instead of blonde and messy, his hair were dark and cut short. Standing above Robb, watching him with curiosity, was Renly Baratheon.

  * Not much – Robb replied, surprised by the question. - What are you doing in here?

  * Well, I was sitting on the stands, watching the match, when I've noticed you storming off, looking like you were about to jump off the Astronomy Tower, so I've decided to follow you. Now, may you answer my previous question?



  * What if I told you that it's because I'm an awful person? - the boy asked, to which his older friend looked at him questioningly. - I just couldn't watch Hornwood scoring all the goals left and right.




Robb expected Renly to laugh him off walk back inside the pitch as soon as he told him about it, but, despite the boy's expectations, it didn't. Instead, the fourth-year sighed deeply and took a seat right next to him.

  * Robb – he said – being jealous of someone doesn't make you an awful person. It's a normal thing. Everyone's jealous when they feel they deserve something more than the other person. It's whether we do anything about it that decides if we're bad or good, and you don't strike me as a type to add laxatives to Hornwood's breakfast as a revenge.




Well, he was right. Robb wouldn't do such thing. Still, there was no denying it would've been a funny sight in the morning.

  * I've been jealous of others too – Renly continued. - Quite a lot, actually. I grew up with two brothers: Robert and Stannis, and it's safe to say that they have been better than me at anything. Robert, my oldest brother and your father's friend, has always been popular amongst people. They loved him. He was just so fun and outgoing. Stannis was nothing like that. He was more of a bookworm. He'd just bury himself in his room and spend the day reading about history, wars or anything else. Still, he has always been parents' favorite. He didn't party. He helped them at house. He brought good grades. He was simply perfect. I, on the other hand, was nowhere as good as Stannis was. I swear, as much as I loved him, sometimes I just wanted him to disappear. Actually, I've even had the plan to send him as far away from home as possible. Alaska perhaps. Of course, I didn't do it, but what I'm trying to tell you is that being jealous doesn't make anyone a bad person. It's what you do about it that really decides about it.




There was a moment of silence afterwards as both boys continued sitting in silence, staring at something unimportant in the distance, until Robb has decided to speak up.

  * Do you think they'll ever let me play? - he asked.

  * Of course – Renly replied without doubt. - It's Quidditch. It's only a matter of time before someone gets injured. During my first match, after only few minutes of playing, I got hit in the face by the Bludger and spent the next few days laying unconsciously in the Hospital Wing.

  * But I don't want them to get injured – the Hufflepuff said in response. - I want them to let me play because they think I'm good. Not because Daryn got hit and they couldn't find a better replacement.




Feeling that the chances of that happening anytime soon seemed scarc0e, Robb sighed sadly and curled himself up into a ball, covering his face with knees. He didn't like others seeing him get emotional. Even with Theon or Jon, who knew him quite well by now, he'd try not to show his hurt feelings around them. Let alone showing them to Renly, who he has barely met a month ago. The Slytherin, however, didn't seem too overwhelmed by that as he smiled warmly and put his hand on the boy's back.

  * You'll play soon enough, Robb – he said. - I can promise you that.




That said, he got up to his feet and looked down at the Hufflepuff.

  * I'm going back in – he announced. - Loras is most likely already plotting to kill me for leaving during the match. I wouldn't want to make him any more mad.




Hearing that, Robb couldn't help but smile. Hearing the boys argue was like watching a stereotypical old married couple. Loras and Renly have clearly been close. Very close. In fact, Robb found it quite surprising how comfortable they felt in each other's presence. He would often see them talking in the hallways, and usually they'd be sitting really close, putting their hands against the other's back, laughing together, et cetera. From what Robb has observed, most of the boys didn't like having that much of a physical contact with their friends. Even Theon, who was his best friend, seemed to prefer to keep distance between the two them. Loras and Renly, however, didn't have such problems. You could see they truly enjoyed each other's company. Quite a lot, actually

After Renly was gone, Robb has continued to sit outside the pitch for a while, just thinking. Maybe the boy was right? Maybe it was not the end for him? It was stupid of him to think it was. Take a look at Loras. He has spent the entire past year on the bench, doing nothing. It was a normal procedure. He shouldn't have gotten this upset over it. He couldn't help it, though. Ever since beginning he's been acting like an overdramatic mess, but that was just him – Robb Stark. The boy who cared too much for his own good. Maybe it really was time to relax and stop worrying about things that were beyond his control? Grabbing the handle of his broomstick tightly in his hand, he got up and walked back inside of the pitch. A lot of things seemed to have changed in just a few minutes. The score was currently 70:40, with Hufflepuff leading. Only a few minutes later their win was cemented by Rakharo catching the Golden Snitch, gaining the team one hundred and fifty additional points and effectively ending the game.

  * What a match! - the Transfiguration teacher yelled out from the stands. - After an awful season last year, Hufflepuff is back, tying Slytherin for the first place so far with two hundred and twenty points each.




The audience cheered on as the players returned to the ground, with smiles all over their faces. The Karstark brothers exchanged a high-five with each other in celebration of their win, while Loras seemed downright dumbfounded by everything that has happened today. Only Brienne stood straight, looking at her teammates with pride. Finally, Hufflepuffs have gotten what they wanted for the past few years. They have broken their bad streak. They have won the match.

Robb jumped upwards as he felt something on his shoulder. When he turned around, he noticed Theon standing behind him with a sympathetic look on his face.

  * Congrats on your team winning the game – he said. - Now we're the two in the lead.

  * Looks like it – Robb replied, before turning back around to watch his teammates celebrating their victory.

  * I'm sorry you didn't get the chance to play today – the blond added. - I'm sure you'll get it next time.

  * I think so too – the Hufflepuff said, taking one more look at his friend.




Maybe he really should stop worrying so much? After all, he was at Hogwarts. Probably the best place for a young wizard to be at. He was a part of a great Quidditch team. He had few really good friends, some older and some more recent, to help him out, no matter what. Even considering he was still not the most popular person around, he was still yet to make contact with Torrhen and Talisa again, and Ramsay, Baelish and the headmistress all being against him, he felt like this story might have a happy ending after all. How soon, though? That was another question Robb still hasn't found the answer to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After two full weeks of break I'm finally back with the next chapter of BTB, and I've got to say it was a really good decision.
> 
> First of all, this is the first of three Quidditch matches I've written for this story and I have to say that these three were a pain to write. That said, in the end, I'm quite happy with how these chapters ended up, and I'm proud to present you to this one. Also, Olenna is a commentator because why not? Olenna is a bad bitch, she can do whatever she wants. And for those who have thought they were going to see Robb play Quidditch in this chapter, stay patient. You will get what you came here for. This chapter, however, I've decided it would be way too predictable and have decided to let my boy talk about his feelings some more. Oh, and Loras/Renly is definitely going to be a thing in this story, in case you didn't get it by now.
> 
> Next week: Robb helps his poor boyfriend with his back problems.


	10. A Pre-Christmas Miracle

Apparently, Hufflepuff winning their first match against Ravenclaw was a big deal at Hogwarts, as for the next week or two it was the main topic of students' discussions. It wasn't even about them getting more points than Gryffindor. The matches' schedule has always begun with Gryffindor vs Slytherin and Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff, and, taking rules of the game into account, it was barely impossible for the losing team of the first set to equal the winners of the second one. Well, it did happen few times, considering these were Gryffindors we're talking about. Still, it was the first time in over seven years when Hufflepuffs managed to win with over two-hundred points on their account. Of course, the fact that Slytherins have ended up with the exact same amount of points has only added more fuel to the endless debate on who would be the winner of the Quidditch Cup. This year, however, was the first one where Hufflepuff was actually taken into consideration. Suffice to say, it was awesome.

While players from other teams, such as Drogo and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, have always been rather well regarded in the school's tiny society, the celebrity status seemed to be quite a new thing to Robb's teammates. Of course, people knew before that people such as Harrion or Rakharo have existed amongst them, but never before have they been the focal point of other students' attention. Some of them, Daryn Hornwood, for example, seemed to be enjoying their newfound popularity, while others have been actively trying to avoid becoming the center-of-attention. Brienne was the most hilarious of such cases. Of course, due to her rather intimidating size, she would usually get some occasional looks while passing by through the corridor, but these were different than the ones she started to get now. The girl, obviously not too keen on garnering any kind of attention from her peers, would often react by awkwardly looking away and leaving the place as soon as possible. As good of a captain as she was, Brienne was no expert in social interactions.

Even if Robb didn't have the chance to play during Hufflepuff's last match, he had to admit that the situation he found himself in after his team's win was rather beneficial to him. Rarely did he see the public mood between his fellow badgers be so positive. Despite what everyone else might have thought, Hufflepuffs haven't really been the happy-go-lucky types everyone pegged them as. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He even knew of a few Slytherins who could put their yellow-dressed friends to shame in that aspect of personality. Nevertheless, the better the house spirit was, the less likely they were to publically ostracize Robb from their group. Before, seldom he would see any sings of kindness from his housemates, such as quick smiles or nods when passing by. Now, however, it was nothing out of usual. Even the relationship with his roommates seemed to have gotten a bit better. Helping Wendel with that Potions essay that evening in the library has turned out to be Robb's best decision so far this year. That was rather amusing, considering that it was also the only one he hasn't planned all the way through. He did what he felt like he had to do. He didn't have a clue this somehow might lead to rekindling his friendship with Wendel. They still weren't exactly buddy-buddy with each other, but they were surely headed the right way. Even Torrhen seemed to be slowly warming up to him again. After all, when you share a room and have two mutual friends, it would be rather hard to avoid each other completely.

For the first time in a long time, everything seemed to be going well for Robb. He had some minor failures here and there, but all of them paled in comparison to the mental torture he had to endure during the first three months of school. Overall, it was good. Not perfect but still good. However, even with the lucky streak he had going on for the past few weeks, Robb would have never guessed what was in store for him next. After all, there's being lucky and then there are miracles. These don't happen very often if at all. It's not even that Robb didn't believe in miracles. After all, he endured some of them ever since he got to Hogwarts: Ramsay's broomstick suddenly stopping right before the finish line, professor Arryn not having kicked him off the school yet and the biggest of them all, people actually giving him a chance after what happened last year, for example. It just seemed highly unlikely that now, as he was slowly getting out of the woods, something like that would happen. It just seemed highly unlikely. Still, if not a miracle, how else would you describe Talisa freaking Maegyr of all people trying to talk to him?

  * Robb? - the boy heard coming from behind him.




It was already past the lessons and, since no one seemed to mind his presence anymore, Robb thought he might use this opportunity to chill out by the fireplace, sitting in that comfortable canary yellow armchair he has been in love with ever since his first day at school. He didn't expect anyone to interrupt him, more so Talisa being the person to do so. Hearing the girl's voice, which was so much distinct from all the others, he nearly jumped up in his seat out of sheer shock. Talisa Maegyr wanted to talk to him? What? Why? Was he dreaming? Or maybe it was just an illusion? Maybe she wasn't really Talisa? Maybe it was just a ghost... no, that clearly wasn't a ghost. Talisa was still alive... Was he a ghost? No, that was even more stupid. Or maybe it was just another of Ramsay's ploys to destroy his good name? Okay, that one seemed dangerously possible.

  * Talisa – he said, proceeding cautiously – what are you doing in here?

  * Well, it's kind of my common room too, you know – the girl replied.

  * Oh, of course...




That seemed about right. He really needed to think more before saying anything.

  * I've just wanted to congratulate you – Talisa continued, looking rather sheepish for her standards.

  * Congratulate me? - Robb asked, surprised. - On what?

  * On winning the match against Ravenclaw – the girl clarified. - I know you didn't get to play during the game, and for now you're just on the substitutes list but... congratulations anyway.




That said she smiled, hoping that this will make the awkwardness of the situation go away. It didn't. Robb was too smart to get fooled into believing that was the real reason behind the girl's visit. There was something else. Something she didn't want to tell him about yet. However, the thing was, Robb wasn't even sure if he wanted to listen to it.

It may have come off as if he was mad at her over something she did, but that wasn't true. There was nothing he could be mad at her for. In fact, it was Talisa who should have been holding a grudge against him. Whenever Robb looked at Talisa, he would remind himself of the situation in the Great Hall; how she looked at him when Ramsay made him... burp (he really didn't like talking about it). She may have tried to seem nonchalant about it, even understanding, but he knew how disgusted by him she must've felt back then. She was right. It was disgusting. He knew that technically it was Ramsay, not him, who was responsible for this, and people at school have forgotten about it rather quickly, but he simply couldn't stop thinking about it. Everytime he took a look at Talisa, he would go back to that moment and relive it all over again. He didn't understand why the girl even wanted to talk to him after what happened, but he knew one thing. He needed to get out of here as quickly as possible, before he embarrasses himself even further in front of her.

  * Well, thank you – Robb replied politely. - I really appreciate it, even though I didn't play in the game.

  * One day you will – the dark-haired girl replied.

  * Yeah, you're right. One day I will.




That said, he got up off the armchair, trying not to show any sings of his anxiousness to the girl.

  * And now, excuse me, but I've promised Theon that I would meet him after the lessons have ended.




The Hufflepuff tried his best to leave as fast as possible, not to continue with the awkward conversation, but before he even had the chance to take a step toward the entrance, Talisa stopped him.

  * Robb – she said.




_“Crap,”_ the boy thought as he stopped dead in his tracks. All he could do now was to turn around and face her. Well, at least maybe she wasn't going to ask him about what happened in the Great Hall. Right?

  * If it's about what happened in the Great Hall-




Well, but of course.

  * I just wanted to say that-

  * Don't worry – Robb interrupted, not too keen on hearing what the girl had to say. - You don't have to say anything.

  * I don't? - the girl asked.

  * Yeah, I get it. I mean, if I was in your place, I'd probably feel pretty disgusted by myself too. I'm just... I'm sorry that I've embarrassed you in front of the entire school.




That said he hung his head low, not sure if he even wanted to look into the girl's admittedly beautiful eyes. Talisa, however, seemed rather taken aback by his words, almost as if she didn't expect the boy to say something like that.

  * What? No, Robb, that's not what I meant to-

  * Don't worry – he cut in once again, not letting his friend finish her thought. - I understand. I won't bother you anymore.

  * What are you talking about? - Talisa asked, visibly surprised with the boy's reaction. - You don't bother me at all. Robb? Robb!




Her calls, however, have gone unanswered as the boy left before she could say anything else. Quickly, he slammed shut the round door of the common room behind him and rested his back against them, just in case Talisa has decided to follow him to the corridor. Yes, he was fully aware of how stupid it must've looked like from the girl's perspective and that this talk might have been his only chance to sort things out with the girl, but he just couldn't bear being there, looking right at her when he knew how disgusted she must feel by him after all that happened. He could barely even look her in the eyes. Was he being overdramatic? Probably, but not a single person who did not belch right into the face of their almost-crush had the right to judge him because of it. He was mad, but not at himself. After all, it wasn't his fault that this jerk Ramsay has decided to choose this one particular moment to get back at him. He wasn't even mad at anyone in particular. He was just mad at how everytime things seem to be working out just fine for him, he would always ends up humiliating himself in front of people he cared about. Was it always going to be like that? Him, hiding from everyone he knows, because he is ashamed of showing his face to them? He was pathetic. And depressed. Very depressed, actually. Luckily for him, he knew just what to do to make him feel at least a little better.

  * So – Theon began as the boys were making their way down the nearly empty corridor – Talisa has wanted to talk to you and you ran away?

  * Yeah, pretty much – the brown-haired Hufflepuff replied.

  * ...why?

  * Because – he explained – I was ashamed. I didn't want to talk to her about what happened in the Great Hall. It would be like reliving it all over again. I mean, you've seen it yourself. Don't even try to tell me it was anything but disgusting.

  * It wasn't that bad – the Slytherin said.

  * I've burped into her face, Theon. Would you like me to burp into _your_ face?

  * I mean, don't get me wrong – the boy clarified. – The belch itself was disgusting, obviously, but your reaction to it was quite... cute.

  * Cute?




Despite all that happened last year, Robb still wasn't too keen on this one particular word. Once again, there was absolutely nothing wrong with being cute or labeling someone as cute, but he still couldn't help but see it as a somewhat derogatory term people used when they had nothing better to say about a person. When someone wasn't really brave, clever or resourceful, he could've at least been labeled as cute. Of course that wasn't the case, and Robb knew plenty of people he could describe with this word, but he, however, was _not_ cute. He knew that Theon didn't mean to do him any harm by using this word, yet he couldn't get rid of his ill feeling towards it.

  * Yeah – Theon replied, unfazed by his friend's obvious displeasure – you have that one expression in particular when you're really embarrassed and you just have those sparkling blue eyes and get all red on your face and start biting on your lip and, I don't know, it's actually quite adorable if you come to think of it... yeah, it's something like that.




Only Robb wasn't pretending at all. The blush which graced his face was very much real. He just... didn't expect anyone to twist that story like this. Ever since that happened, he was ashamed to even look at his reflection in the mirror without cringing at the sheer thought of it, and now Theon, the same Theon who barely even showed his true feelings to anyone, would say that didn't feel disgusted by him. In fact, he found it adorable? He belched his lungs out right in front of Talia and then ran off crying into the bathroom. He's seen it. How could he possibly find it adorable? It made zero sense to him.

  * Can we change the subject? - he asked shyly, not sure if he can physically withstand another round of the boy's compliments.

  * Sure we can – Theon replied and then moved his shoulders vigorously. - I'm pretty sure that the damned sofa I've been sleeping on for past three months is slowly starting to kill me.

  * Do you still sleep in the common room?

  * Well, yeah – the blond sighed sadly. - Ramsay says that traitors don't deserve bedrooms.

  * What about the other Slytherins? - the brown-haired boy asked. - They have to know that you sleep down there.

  * They do know, but as far as I'm concerned no one cares that much. Second-years are under Ramsay's command. They won't do anything he wouldn't approve of. The older students have their own lifes and they don't seem too interested in helping me. If I was really desperate, I guess I could threaten few first-years into letting me stay in their room, but I'm fairly certain they're more afraid of Ramsay than me. By the looks of it, I'll have to get used to living with a broken spine if I plan on finishing the second grade this year.




Robb had to say he was rather disappointed in his Slytherin schoolmates. Granted, they didn't have that much of a good reputation around here, but even with their many flaws, Robb has always considered them to be one of the few houses which actually care about their own. Honestly, he didn't even take into consideration the thought that Theon might spent next three months sleeping on the couch in the common room because no one wanted to help him out. Was Ramsay's hold on Slytherin that strong? He was only in second grade. If only he could, he would offer Theon a place in his own bedroom. He could only imagine how fun would it be to share one room with Pod, Wendel, Torrhen and Theon all together. Still, he wasn't sure if he'd like to risk losing his barely reconciled friendship with the boys and rest of the house. It seemed like there was no right way to solve Theon's little “living situation.”

  * Do you want some help with that? - Robb asked as he noticed the boy moving his shoulders once again.




It was obvious he was feeling rather uncomfortable, but then again Robb would too if he spent three months laying on what must've been the least uncomfortable sofa in existence.

  * Help with what? - Theon asked, rubbing the aching shoulder with his hand.

  * The back – the Hufflepuff replied. - Don't you think I see you're in agony? Let me help you.

  * How? - the blond cocked an eyebrow at his friend.




However, before he even got the answer, Robb has already made his way towards him, putting both of his hands on the boy's shoulders and rubbing them gently.

  * W-what are you doing? - the Slytherin asked, baffled by his friend being so close to him.

  * Rubbing your back – Robb replied, surprised by Theon's reaction. - I thought it might help.




See, there was one more thing people didn't know about Robb Stark. He gave some really good massages. His mother would always come back home from meetings and book signings tired and with an aching back, so Robb always tried to help her out as much as he could, whether it was by taking care of his siblings to let his mom rest for a while or helping her clean the house. Still, taking care of the house duties, as kind as it was, wasn't enough to make the pain in her back go away. One day, after noticing his mother come home with a particularly bad backache, he offered to give her a massage. It was a good call. Apparently he was exceedingly good at giving people massages. It was kind of like his secret superpower. In that case, why wouldn't he use it to help his best friend out with back problems?

Theon, however, didn't seem too cooperative when it came down to that. He stood still, his muscles all tense from the mere touch of his friend's hands. These were no conditions Robb could've worked under.

  * Come on, Theon – he said, slightly annoyed by the boy's lack of trust. - It will make you feel better, I swear.




The boy turned his head around to look Robb in the eyes, but seeing his adamant expression he sighed and turned around, allowing his friend to do what he wants.

  * Just make it quick – he mumbled under his breath.




Robb ignored the remark and proceeded to squeeze his hands around Theon's shoulders. Immediately he could feel the tense muscles underneath the boy's skin. Poor thing must've not slept a single night ever since the beginning of the year. He truly felt sorry for him. He knew that he wasn't the only one who got the short end of stick because of Ramsay, but he never realized how bad did Theon have it. I mean, how uncomfortable could this couch possibly be? Robb thrust his knuckles right between the boy's shoulder blades, where he could feel even more pressure. As he rubbed the spot, he could've heard Theon groaning quietly under his breath.

  * Feels good, doesn't it? - Robb asked.

  * I've had better – Theon replied, despite clearly enjoying the massage.




The Hufflepuff smiled to himself hearing his friends response and continued rubbing his back to the boy's obvious pleasure. However, it wasn't even a minute before he could feel the boy's body go tense again as a voice sounded through the hallway.

  * Good job, brother.




For a split second he thought that it was Jon who caught them, but then he realized the voice clearly belonged to a female. As he raised his head, he noticed no one else but Yara Greyjoy standing on the other side of the corridor, looking at the boys with arms crossed on her chest.

  * And here I thought Stark is way out of your league – she added with her trademark Greyjoy smirk.




The boy quickly shook Robb's hands off his back and moved away from the boy, ashamed of being found in a situation like that. It was obvious that Greyjoys weren't the most affectionate family around. As a matter of fact, Robb was the only person who Theon would've allowed this close to himself, let alone letting him touch him. Yara seemed to be quite similar when it came down to that. Most affection towards her younger brother she passed off as quick insults and snarky comments at his expense. Robb didn't quite understand how relations like that worked. Of course, Starks weren't your picture perfect family. Actually, they were rather insane. Not a day could go by in their house without any quarrels, screaming or things falling onto the floor. However, whenever things would take a serious turn, Robb knew his family wouldn't shy away from showing their affection towards each other... well, maybe except Arya, but Arya used to show her affection in different ways than the rest of his siblings. Greyjoys, on the other hand, were... different from what Robb was used to in a family. Surely the two had some kind of affection towards each other. It was just that they felt more distant to each other than Robb has been with, let's say, Jon.

  * What are you doing here? - Theon asked, with a threatening tone in his voice.

  * I could ask you the same question – she replied, taking a look in Robb's direction. - Out in the plain view? Like animals? I didn't know Stark likes it like that but-

  * Yara! - the boy snapped, his face going red from anger.

  * Oh, knock it off, loser – the girl said with a dismissive tone.




She didn't seem too scared of his younger brother... but then again who would? As much as Robb liked him, Theon was all skin and bones. Being threatened by him was like being threatened by a toothpick.

  * I was just joking – she continued – and I'm sure your boyfriend knows it.




That said she looked over at Robb.

  * Am I right?

  * Um...

  * See? - she replied, but, seeing as Theon was growing impatient with her, she added – I've received an owl from our father this morning. He asked me if both of us are coming home for Christmas.




Robb immediately noticed the sudden change this piece of information brought to Theon's mood. Just a second ago he was standing there, pissed off at his sister but still confident in himself. Now, he seemed to have shrunk as he stood there, his anger turned into worry, as he looked at the piece of paper Yara held in her hands.

  * By when should we send him the answer? - he asked eventually.

  * As quickly as possible – the girl replied. - He says he wouldn't want to wait too long for me to answer.

  * Well, then tell him I'm not coming – Theon said, crossing arms on his chest defensively.




Robb was aware of the fact that his friend didn't get along very well with his father, but, judging from his reaction, their relations have gotten even worse over the course of these few months.

  * So you're just going to leave me alone with him for the entire Christmas break? - Yara asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, yet still failing at it. - Sorry, not happening, little brother. Besides, where would you spend the holiday then?

  * At Hogwarts – the boy replied quickly – right where I should've stayed last year.




Robb was sure he could've seen a hint of concern on Yara's face, buried somewhere underneath her sarcasm and dry humor.

  * Come on – she said – it won't be as bad as it was last year. He was just tired. That's it.

  * He... - Theon started, seemingly wanting to snap back at his sister, but he stopped as he realized Robb was still standing next to them. - Never mind. You can tell him I'm not coming home this Christmas.

  * Fine – Yara replied with an exasperated sigh – but remember that this time I won't be making goo-goo eyes at him to make up for you.




That said, she was about to leave, but before she did, she turned around to face Robb once more and smirked mischievously.

  * Oh, and Robb! Theon is ticklish around his waist. Just in case this may come in handy later. See you later, loser!

  * Just go already!




With one more chuckle she was gone, almost as quickly as she appeared, leaving the two boys alone again. Still, the atmosphere was nowhere as pleasant as it was before. If Robb thought Theon was tense before, than now he deserved at least three hours of free massage. The worst part was that he didn't even know how to help him. As crazy as his family was, they were truly happy with each other. He never had to face such big problems as Theon did. It was just so unfair. Theon was one of the sweetest people he ever met, even if a little bit cocky and prone to making bad decisions. He did not deserve anything bad that happened to him in life. Honestly, if only there was a way Robb could switch lifes with him, he'd do it in a heartbeat. He had a happy childhood. Theon didn't, and he deserved to have one.

  * Theon – Robb asked eventually, breaking the silence – are you-

  * Yeah, I'm fine – the boy answered, cutting his friend's question short.

  * Are you sure?

  * Yes – that said, Theon forced a smile onto his face.




Robb could've seen right through it, though. He knew Theon for quite long now, and he knew when he was faking. This was one of those times.

  * Okay then – he said, pretending to believe him. - Still, if you ever needed anything-

  * I know – Theon cut in once more. - Thank you.

  * No problem – Robb replied with a warm smile.




The next hour or so the boys have spent talking about all mkinds of random stuff the last week has brought upon them. They've talked about the Quidditch game from two weeks before, the amount of schoolwork they've been facing lately, the Swelling Solution which apparently erupted all over professor Baelish's face during the joint lesson between Gryffindors and Slytherins (Robb's personal favorite) etc. Still, the overall feeling of discomfort could've been felt throughout the whole talk. No matter how captivating gossips about their schoolmates were, none of the boys could've taken their minds of the letter Theon's father sent to them. Even if Robb didn't have to worry about the boy's health, due to him deciding to stay at Hogwarts, he still felt guilty at the sheer thought of his best friend spending Christmas alone in the castle. No one deserved to spend Christmas alone, especially someone like Theon. Robb knew he didn't have a reason to feel guilty, but he wanted to do so. How dare he enjoy time with his loving family when there were people who couldn't even go back home in fear of what might happen there? He had to make it up to him somehow... and he even knew how to do it.

Robb found Renly right outside the Great Hall, ready to enter, as always with Loras by his side. It wasn't easy to find him, especially considering that Robb wasn't to keen on waiting for him by the entrance to the Slytherins' dormitory, which was the most strategical place to look for him. The danger of stumbling upon Ramsay was way too high for it to be considered a safe option. However, due to sheer luck, rhere he was. Renly Baratheon. Right in front of him.

  * Hey! Renly! - the boy called, to which the Slytherin turned around immediately.




He smiled warmly seeing the brown-haired boy standing behind him. They didn't know each other that well yet, but it was safe to say he felt at least a little bit of sympathy towards the Hufflepuff. Loras, on the other hand, didn't seem too happy to see his housemate interrupting them. Actually, ever since that match with the Ravenclaws, he has been acting kind of dismissive towards him. It has surprised Robb as he couldn't think of a single reason why the blond would be mad at him.

  * Robb Stark – the Slytherin said, noticing the boy standing behind him. - What are you up to?

  * Not much – the boy replied. - There's one thing I believe you might be able to help him with. Can I have a minute with you?

  * Sure, I-

  * Actually – Loras cut in harshly – Renly and I were just about to have dinner together, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn.




Robb couldn't deny he was feeling rather taken aback by the older Hufflepuff's comment. He wasn't being rude or disrespectful. He didn't do anything to deserve a response like this. Even Renly looked over at his friend, surprised with his behaviour.

  * Loras...

  * What? - the blond snapped back.




There was a moment of silence as Renly stared at his friend in disbelief, but, eventually, he just scoffed with laughter at his threatening expression and turned back to Robb.

  * You have to forgive him – he explained. - He's become a little jealous of me ever since he saw me leave the stands during the last match to talk to you.




So that's what it was all about? He was simply jealous of Renly? Well, it's not like Robb couldn't understand him. It's not like he's never been in a situation like that (cough, Ramsay, cough), but Loras was his friend... or at least he considered him his friend. He must've known that Robb would never go as far as to try stealing someone's best friend (again, unless that person was Ramsay). Still, he couldn't deny he was rather surprised with how emotionally did the boy take Renly leaving during the match. He never considered Loras to be particularly forthcoming when it came to sharing his feelings. Why, all of a sudden, was he so pissed off about something which didn't really seem to matter much in the end?

  * I'm not jealous! - the blond snapped back at Renly.

  * Sure, you aren't – he replied, grinning maliciously. - In fact, it feels good to see you all chilled-out like this... owch!




Renly yelped as Loras punched in the arm, rather forcefully at that. Of course, the Slytherin has obviously been joking, but it seemed like he didn't take it too well. Maybe the whole thing was way more personal than Robb would've thought. He took a look towards Loras, but the blond quickly glanced away from him, trying to seem as collected as he only could.

  * Let's get this over with quickly – he said. - What is it about, Stark?

  * Well... – the Hufflepuff began, having slightly lost track of his mind while watching his friends quarrel – oh, yes. You know Theon Greyjoy, right?




Hearing that, a particularly malevolent smile has appeared on Loras's face. Surely, he had more than a few snarky comments ready he had to hold back on.

  * Yeah, I think I do – Renly replied. - He's from your grade, isn't he? Tiny thing, messy blonde hair...

  * He's his boyfriend – Loras added, biting on his lip playfully.




Renly looked over towards Robb, as if to make sure his friend was joking. He was. Besides, Robb was sure Loras would have a lot more to say when it comes to being in a nearly romantic relationship with your best friend, but he decided not to bring it up in that particular best friend's presence.

  * So Theon, what about him? - the Slytherin asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

  * Look, he's been sharing a bedroom with Ramsay Bolton and few other Slytherins, but ever since he stood up for me in front of him, he's been sleeping on the couch in the common room.

  * Oh, yeah – the older boy reminded himself. - I've seen him there a few times, but I didn't realize why he was sleeping on the couch. I've just thought he fell asleep while studying, and someone has covered him with a blanket. You're telling me he's still sleeping there?

  * Yes, he is – Robb answered – and I just can't stand to see him waking up every day with a pain in his back from sleeping on that awfully uncomfortable couch. I mean, I would've let him move in into my own bedroom, but I'm not sure if my roommates would've been too supportive of that idea...

  * And that is why you need me, right? - Renly asked. - You'd like me to offer Theon a place in our room, am I right?

  * Well... yes, that's exactly what I was thinking of – the brown-haired boy said.




The next few seconds have brought no significant answer as the Slytherin still wondered if inviting the boy to come live with him was a good idea. For a moment Robb was getting scared he would have to search for another place to let the boy stay at, but that's when Renly cracked one more smile and nodded his head.

  * Fine, I'll do it.

  * Really? - Robb asked, just to make sure if the Slytherin was being honest.

  * Of course – he replied. - I mean, Theon seems like a nice kid. I'm sure none of the guys from my room would mind him staying with us. What I'm more interested in, however, is why didn't any of you ask me about it earlier? You would've spared the poor boy at least two months of agony.

  * Um...




Crap. He really should've thought about it earlier.

  * Well, it's not important now that everything's ended up happily for all of us – Loras cut in, just to remind the boys of his existence. - Theon has a place to sleep, Robb is happy he helped Theon, Renly is happy he helped both of us, and I'm happy that now we can go back to what we've been doing before. Renly, let's go.




That said, the blond marched off in the direction of the Great Hall. Robb just shook his head in disbelief at his housemate. Sometimes he felt like he was the older one in their friendship.

  * Yeah, totally not jealous – Renly muttered under his breath and then walked off, following Loras towards the entrance.




As he watched them both enter the Great Hall, Robb couldn't help but think that there was something weird about the boys' friendship. He didn't mean it in a bad way, but they were significantly more close than any other pair of friends he's ever seen. Even he and his so-called boyfriend haven't been anywhere near their level of interactions. He noted in the back of his mind that he needed to keep a closer watch on these two. They've been up to something. For now, however, he was fully satisfied with the fact that finally, after over three months of torture, his best friend was finally going to get some rest at night. He just couldn't wait until Theon comes to him tomorrow to tell him that Renly Baratheon has suddenly offered him a place to sleep in his room. Maybe then this senseless feeling of guilt and hopelessness he was dealing with would go away...

...that night, about one o'clock, he realized that it didn't. He didn't know why. It wasn't his fault that Ramsay kicked Theon out of his room... well, maybe it was, but it's not like he's done it on purpose. Still, it surely wasn't his fault that Theon was going to spend Christmas alone at Hogwarts this year. Also, it wasn't his fault that his relationship with his father was far from good. These were things Robb had no control over; things Robb shouldn't feel guilty about. Still, the mere thought of Theon sitting in the Slytherin common room alone at Christmas didn't let him sleep a wink. He couldn't stop thinking that somehow he could've helped him out. No one deserved to spend Christmas alone, and especially not Theon. But what was he going to do about it? It's not like he could've asked Renly to take Theon in for the entire holiday as well. That would've been... and then Robb got an idea.

Tiptoeing his way out of his bedroom on his toes, Robb found the common room entirely empty. As it should've been. It was one in the morning, for God's sake! No normal person would've been sitting in the common room by now... besides Robb, of course. Borrowing someone's parchment and ink from the shelf nearby, with an intention of returning it in the morning, he sat by the fireplace and began writing the letter. As soon as he woke up, before the lessons have even started, he has quickly made his way to the owlery, carrying the message with him. As he entered, he immediately noticed a huge eagle owl resting at the top perch, right under the ceiling.

  * Balthazar, come here – Robb ordered.




The owl opened its eyes to notice the boy calling it. It whined around for a little bit, yet, in the end, it followed its owner's orders. Robb still wasn't too keen on Balthazar. He still considered him very lazy and particularly unhelpful, but his relationship with the owl seemed to have gotten warmer ever since it pecked professor Baelish in the finger last year. What a time it was to be alive! Robb tied the letter to Balthazar's right leg and then petted the bird's head gently.

  * To my parents.




The owl immediately left, using on of the many windows present in the building, as Robb watched the bird disappear behind the horizon. He felt inside of his gut he did the right thing. It was funny how barely one year ago a letter has almost ruined his life, and now another one was going to help make someone else's life better.

After all, there was no better place Theon could've spent Christmas at than with his best friend at Starks' family house.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the chapter's almost done. Let me just add a little bit more gay to it... OOPS! NOT THAT MUCH!
> 
> This chapter is significantly less heavy than most of the previous ones, focused on Robb getting his good name back, but I don't think that's much of a problem. One more Robb and Theon bounding chapter is not going to hurt nobody, especially with what's coming in the following ones. Other than that, there's not much to say here, other than Yara's trying to hide how she's a good sister to Theon, and the subtext between Loras and Renly is getting less an less “sub” with each chapter, so I'll just fade away and leave you with a fluffy vision of Robb rubbing Theon's shoulders.
> 
> Next week: I bet all of you have thought I forgot about the letter, haven't you?


	11. Sacred Twenty-Eight

_Dear Robb,_

 

_We're boh glad to hear you've been doing better recently. We were honestly worried about you, considering all that happened in the previous year, but it's a relief to hear that everything is fine with you. Just remember, if there was anything you would like us to know, you can always write to us about it. No matter how bad it would be, I'm sure we could find a way to deal with it together._

 

_However, we are very sorry to inform you that we're afraid that your friend Theon will not be able to spend Christmas with us. We understand his tough living situation, but, sadly, we are in no position to receive any additional visitors this year. There's still a lot of work to do, and we simply won't be able to prepare the house for your friend's visit. Besides, spending Christmas at Hogwarts isn't nearly as bad as you might think it is. We are sure Theon won't mind you leaving him for just one week._

 

_Moving on, neither you nor Jon have sent us your wish list for this Christmas yet. Make sure to do it until next week, since it will be harder for Father Christmas to find you any presents once the shops are all closed._

 

_We have to finish now, but we'll hear from each other soon. Once again, we are sorry that we couldn't take Theon in, but at the moment it would be impossible for us to do so. Write back soon._

 

_Lots of love,_

_Mum and Dad_

 

Robb had absolutely no idea what to make of his parents reply. Frankly, he didn't expect their answer to be negative. After all, Robb's family house was big. Surely they would've found a free spot for Theon to occupy somewhere in there. Food wasn't a problem either. Sure, an average Stark usually ate way more than any other human would, but it didn't seem like a problem to leave one fried fish and a glass of juice to the boy. Besides, even assuming it wouldn't have been enough, Robb was more than willing to share both his bed and his food with Theon. It really seemed like there was no reason why the boy couldn't have spent this Christmas with the Starks... yet the answer was still “no.” Why?

To be honest, this entire Theon situation was beginnig to look way more complicated than it might've seemed at first. See, it might've been a huge stretch to think so, but what maybe the question Robb should've asked himself wasn't “why his parent's couldn't let Theon spend Christmas at their house” but “why his parents _wouldn't like_ Theon to spend Christmas at their house?” It might've seemed like a very far-fetched theory at first, considering that mr. and mrs. Stark have never even met the Slytherin, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make. It's not like these were some completely baseless accusations. After all, he still remembered the weird look on his mother's face the first time he told her about his friendship with Theon.

  * Could you repeat that? - she asked, as she froze lifeless above the apple pie she was just preparing for dessert after the Christmas feast.

  * What? - Robb looked at her in surprise.

  * The name of your friend – the woman clarified, leaving her son rather confused.

  * Theon Greyjoy, why are you asking?




As he said that, Robb's mother shared a quick glance with her husband, before returning to work.

  * Um... no reason – she replied. - I must've misheard you. Sansa, sweetie, could you pass the cinnamon to me, please?




As the red-haired girl scrambled to help her mom, Robb snuck a quick look towards his father. The man smiled at him warmly and then returned to reading the newspaper. It might've seemed like the most natural, normal reaction. Still, there was something was off about the way he did it. Robb could tell when his father was nervous, and this was one of those times. But what was he even supposed to be nervous at? Everything was just fine a few seconds ago, and then it all changed when he has mentioned Theon. It must've been a misunderstanding. His mother was probably right. She must've misheard something and confused him with someone else. They didn't even know Theon. Why would they be so nervous at the mere mention of his name?

As much as Robb has tried to dimsiss what happened back then when talking to his parents as a one-off incident, it kept on happening again and again and again through his winter break. Every single time he'd mention Theon around his family, the atmosphere around him would suddenly become tense and unpleasant. Mr. and mrs. Stark would exchange worried glances with each other and then only nod their heads in silent agreement or try to move as far away from the subject as possible. Back then, he didn't really know what to think of it. After all, what would his parents have against his best friend? It made no sense. That said, looking back at it after having received the letter from home, Robb realized that it might've been bigger of a problem than it seemed at first.

  * Robb?




The boy raised his head, only to notice the very boy in question looking right at him.

  * Are you okay? - he asked.




Oh, yeah. For a split moment he forgot he was still sitting in the Great Hall with Theon.

  * Yeah, it's fine – Robb replied with a forced smile.




He was lying. No, it wasn't fine. How could it possibly be fine, when he has just realized that for some reason his family hated his best friend, and he would most likely have to spent Christmas alone in the castle, far away from Robb. How could he even look Theon in the face now that he has failed him? He would have to have to abandon him for the entire Christmas week. They've promised each other that no matter what happens, they will get through this year together. How was he going to fulfill his part of the promise from his warm bedroom, while his best friend is sitting alone in an empty common room, thinking about if maybe he should've chosen to go home to spend Christmas his father instead?

The mere thought of it has been driving Robb insane throughout the rest of the day. No matter how hard he would try, he simply couldn't force himself to focus on anything else. In fact, he couldn't even remind himself what was today's History of Magic lesson about. Usually, he would at least write down the topic before drifting off into the blissful unconsciousness. Today he couldn't be bothered to even do that. The worst part of the day, however, clearly had to be the joint Transfiguration lesson with the Slytherins, where he would usually share a desk with Theon. Despite professor Lannister ordering them to practise a spell which transfigured a pair of rabbits into slippers, the boy couldn't quite get around to do it. All he could do was to stare at his friend, wondering how he would react if he realized his best friend was not allowed to invite him home for Christmas. For now, however, the boy didn't seem too worried about that, as he waved his wand nervously above a snow white slipper, which still had both pairs of legs attached to it.

  * _Leppus soccus! Leppus soccus!_ God, why is it still not working?! Robb?!

  * Huh? - the boy asked, snapping out of his thoughtfulness.




Theon quirked his eyebrow in surprise, seeing his friend's reaction. He could clearly see that something was off with him.

  * You've been acting weird all day – the boy said. - Are you sure you're fine?

  * Yes, of course I am – Robb replied, trying to sound as sincere as possible. - I've told you already. There's nothing you should be worried about. Now, let's go back to the bunny slippers. I wouldn't like professor Lannister to catch us slacking off.




Sadly, it looked like he already did, as when Robb took a quick look towards the teacher, he noticed his head turning around into the opposite direction. He was looking at him. He must've noticed him sitting, doing nothing and paying no attention to the lesson at all. Still, he didn't seem to care too much about it as he didn't mention it once during the lesson, only appearing by the boys table to help Theon out with the four-legged slippers, which has apparently decided to escape from the classroom as quickly as possible.

  * You've got to do it quickly – he said with a good-hearted chuckle. - If you don't, then surely they will run away. I'm sure mr. Frey would have a field day with that. A pair of walking slippers terrorizing students in the school corridors.




Robb really liked professor Lannister. In fact, Transfiguration was actually one of the few subjects he truly enjoyed studying and probably the one he excelled the most at. The teacher also saw the potential in the boy, often praising him in front of the entire class (Ramsay's face when that happens is always priceless.) Well, of course professor Baelish has also been known for his fondness of Robb Stark, and was also rather prone to applauding the Hufflepuff in front of everyone else, but you could always hear the insincerity and mercenary interest shining through the man's voice. During the Transfiguration lessons, however, the boy felt like he was being praised because he was actually doing something right. Still, he didn't get too much praise from the teacher today, as, truth be told, he hasn't done much during those forty-five minutes.

  * And you, Robb? - he asked the boy. - Any problems with the task?

  * No, professor – he shook his head.




The teacher raised an eyebrow at Robb, visibly suspicious of the student, but eventually he shrugged his shoulders and left without a single word. It made Robb feel awful. Professor Lannister was one of the few teachers he really liked and didn't want to disappoint, and it looked like he has done just that today. Great, that's two people he has disappointed in just a few hours. It really wasn't his day.

If anyone thought that after the lessons have ended the boy might finally get at least a tiny bit of peace of mind... well, he clearly mustn't know him that well. No matter how hard he would try to focus on anything else, his mind would always go right back to Theon, his parents and the upcoming Christmas his best friend was going to spend alone. To be honest, he was starting to wonder if maybe he cared too much about it. After all, Theon didn't really seem to mind staying at Hogwarts. In fact, he actually seemed glad to be able to spend Christmas anywhere but at his father's house. Robb, on the other hand, simply couldn't stand the thought of that. Maybe it was due to his upbringing that he paid so much attention to Christmas, but he always considered it a family holiday. One that no one should be spending without his closest ones. And, truth be told, Theon was one of his closest ones.

He might've not known him for very long, especially considering multiple periods of time where they didn't even speak to each other during last year, but he could feel like both of them had some kind of special connection with each other. One that didn't happen very often. It may have sounded cheesy, but ever since he has gotten to Hogwarts, Theon has been like a family to him. That's why it hurt so much when he knew his real family didn't really accept his new family. The worst part was that he didn't even know why they didn't want Theon to come. They didn't even know him. Clearly, these must've been some stupid adult things that Robb couldn't know about. To find out he would most likely have to ask his parents about it, but it wasn't exactly a good topic to write about in a letter. Besides, it's not like they would tell him anyway... but what if they didn't have to? What if there was another way to find that out? What if there was a person who might've explained it all to him? One that knew both of his parents personally and might've known a thing or two about the current situation.

That person was professor Benjen Stark. His uncle.

It took Robb only few seconds to storm out of the common room, leaving everything he was doing behind. He needed to find his uncle as quickly as possible. The sooner he found out why couldn't he invite Theon home, the more time to do something about it he would have. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that he wouldn't leave the boy alone. Not after all that they've been through together. He couldn't just let him stay in the castle. And if he didn't manage to convince his parents to let Theon come with him... well, maybe he'd rather stay at Hogwarts this Christmas as well? It wasn't fair that the poor boy was the only one who had to go through all of this. If staying at school was the only way he could make Theon feel better, he was more than ready to do it. Besides, Christmas at Hogwarts with his best friend might've been pretty fun, actually. Maybe not as fun as it would've been back home, but still.

Just a couple minutes later he was already standing in front of uncle Benjen's office door. He hreally hoped he wouldn't interrupt the man in anything important, since he hasn't even announced his would visit him earlier, but he was his last chance at bringing Theon home for Christmas. He needed to talk to him right now. Yet, right as the boy was about to knock on the office's door, he heard a vaguely familiar voice coming from behind him.

  * Robb?




He was fully aware of who the person speaking was, and frankly, he wasn't too pleased to hear from them. He waited out a few seconds, hoping that the man would give up on him and go away, and then he proceeded to knock on the door one more time, but he got stopped once more by the voice in question.

  * Robb Stark?




Just as he expected, when the boy turned around, he noticed no one else but professor Baelish staring at the boy with his arms crossed on his chest and everpresent evil smirk on his face. This time Robb had no doubts that the man has indeed noticed him. Sadly.

  * Professor Baelish, good evening – Robb replied with a nervous chuckle. - I didn't notice you at first.




Then, realizing how blatant his lie was, he continued before the man could say anything.

  * What brings you here?

  * Well, I was just about to visit professor Stark and ask him to help me out with some work-related stuff when I've stumbled upon you – the man explained calmly. - How about you?

  * Oh, nothing important. I've just wanted to see my uncle.

  * Oh... that's nice.

  * Yeah...




Having said that, he turned around towards the door, hoping that those two or three seconds would be enough for him to escape from the awkward conversation, but as always when it came to professor Baelish, he failed to do so.

  * Robb?




The boy turned back around slowly, bracing himself for whatever professor Baelish had in store for him. Knowing him, it wasn't anything pleasant.

  * Yes? - he asked, visibly uncomfortable with the situation.




Not that the teacher would care. It seemed like the sole reason for his existence was to make Robb feel uncomfortable around him.

  * Actually – the man began – I'm kind of glad that I had run into you, because there's this one thing I've wanted to ask you for a while now. Do you have a moment?

  * Um... - the boy looked back at the door, searching for the quickest way to escape from the intrusive teacher – actually, I'm afraid I don't.

  * It will only take you a moment – professor Baelish replied. - I promise.




He seemed really desperate to talk to Robb. Seriously, it was rather creepy. Of course, the boy had way more important things to do right now than talking to the teacher, who was probably the single most annoying human being he's ever had the chance to encounter. Still, he was a teacher. If it was any other student he wanted to talk to, they would probably just shrug their shoulders, and continue doing whatever they've been doing before, ignoring the man completely. Robb, however, wasn't like that, and professor Baelish knew it very well. He knew that the boy was too well-maneered to do so and eventually he would give up and agree to talk to him. Wow, Robb was really starting to get predictable.

  * Fine – the boy sighed, giving in to the man's pleading – but please, let's make it quick.

  * Very well – professor Baelish replied with a bright smile. - Follow me then.




It seemed like whatever the teacher wanted to tell Robb wasn't something he would like anyone else to find out about. Luckily for him, the boy was excellent at keeping secrets. Even up until this day, his parents have never found out that the entire ham his mother roasted for Christmas two years ago has ended up as a treat for Grey Wind. Still, Robb couldn't understand why Petyr Baelish of all people would like to confide in him. The man didn't seem like the type to trust anyone with anything, and clearly he must've had at least vague knowledge of the Hufflepuff's real feelings towards him. He wasn't stupid. Why would he confide in him about anything?

  * Okay – the man began as they've found themselves in one of the small passageways, well hidden from the view of unexpected onlookers – look, I know that Christmas is still far away, and there's still a lot of time to do it, but since I've met you here already... I have something to show you.




That said he put one of his hands inside his pocket, prompting Robb to freeze in horror as to what may be inside of it. Still, luckily for the boy, it didn't seem like he was hiding anything dangerous. Inside of his hands, the teacher held a necklace with some kind of multi-colored gemstone hanging from it. While this has surely done wonders to calm Robb's nerves, he couldn't get a grasp of what was going on. Was professor Baelish going to give him the necklace for Christmas? Why?

  * Take it – he said encouragingly, extending his arm towards the boy. - Take a closer look at it.




Robb, somewhat hesitantly, grabbed the necklace out of the teacher's hand and moved it closer to him so he could see it a little better. As much as he disliked professor Baelish and everything associated with him, he had to admit the gemstone, which served as a pendant, was quite the sight to look at. Crystalline in substance, the gem was cut into an oval shape. Its colour varied from the deep emerald green to reddish orange. Right inside of it, the boy could notice few lighter sparks, almost as if a live flame has gotten frozen in time and covered under the surface of the stone.

  * It's draconite – he heard the teacher explain. - These are very rare. These only form in very high temeratures, ones that can only be caused by dragon fire. Only a few have been discovered in the world, and this one is one of them. Quite a pretty thing, isn't it?

  * It's beautiful, professor – the boy replied – but why are you showing me this?

  * This, Robb, is my Christmas gift to your mother.




There are no words which could describe the feeling of pure shock which the boy felt as he heard that. This dragon-thing, one of the rarest substances on earth, was a gift to his beloved mother from his very least favorite, slimy, always-up-to-no-good Potions teacher Petyr Baelish? No, this must've been a joke, right? Maybe professor Baelish was just pranking him to get back at Robb for talking about him behind his back? The boy looked at the teacher once more, as if he was waiting for him to start laughing or anything, but the man just smiled proudly.

  * Just as a way of reminding her of our past friendship.




Yeah, that didn't help the situation at all. What was he up to? The biggest present Robb has ever given him mom for Christmas was a self-written wish card with a drawing, which reminded him more of a macaque than his own mother. Heck, even his father has never gone for anything more expensive than a dinner at a five-star restaurant (which hasn't exactly been cheap either) and now, all of a sudden, a distant friend from her Hogwarts days, her oldest son's current Potions teacher, shows up out of nowhere and gives her that ridiculously expensive dragon-stone necklace. This seemed... weird. There were other words to describe this situation, but Robb was way too urbane to use them. Theon, on the other hand, surely would've had no problem doing that.

  * Wow – the Hufflepuff managed to say eventually – it's... incredibly generous of you, professor Baelish, but are you sure you're willing to give such important thing as a gift to our family?

  * Of course, Robb – the teacher replied wholeheartedly. - Me and your mother have been really close friends back at school. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her. This tiny thing is just a small way to thank her for always being there for me... even when she was busy doing other things.




For a moment Robb thought that he might've seen Baelish's impeccable facade shattering slightly as he said the last words, but the teacher didn't let that bother him and immediately put the fake smile back on his face.

  * Well... - the boy continued – thank you, professor, for that gift. I'll make sure to give it to my mum as soon as I get home.

  * I trust you'll do – the man replied, before reminding himself of one more thing. - Oh, and Robb, when you're going to give her the present, please, make sure your father isn't around. I wouldn't want to be the cause of any conflict between your parents.

  * I'll keep it in mind – Robb replied, slightly suspicious of the reacher's comment about his mum and dad. - Now, may I go and visit my uncle?




The Hufflepuff wasn't sure if professor Baelish has finished talking, but he has surely heard enough by now. He had enough on his mind already. The last thing he needed was for professor Baelish's words to sink inside of his subconsciousness and haunt him for the next month or so. Besides, he was here for Theon, not Baelish, and it was Theon he should focus on right now.

  * Sure you can – the teacher said, sending a chilling smile towards his favorite student (it was probably meant to be warm, but it didn't work almost as well as he expected.) - I'll see you tomorrow then.




That said, the man finally left. For a while Robb wondered why he left, when he heard him say he came here to visit uncle Benjen's office before, but to be honest, he couldn't care less about what professor Slimeball has been up to. What really mattered right now was to get an answer out of his uncle before it was too late and Theon is left alone in the castle for Christmas.

  * Come in – the man's voice sounded from the inside as Robb finally knocked on the door.




As they've opened, he saw his uncle sitting by the desk, seemingly very busy with the stack of papers laying on top of it. For a while Robb considered apologizing and returning to the dormitory, not wanting to interrupt the teacher, but then the man raised his head and smiled, adjusting the glasses on top of his nose.

  * Oh, it's you, Robb – he said. - Didn't expect you here. Have a seat.




The Hufflepuff nodded his head and followed his uncle's advice, taking the seat opposite him. He felt bad interrupting the man, who clearly had some way more important things on his mind right now, but he couldn't wait. He must've done something about this whole Theon situation and uncle Benjen was the only person that could helped him.

  * So, Robb – the dark-haired man began, while returning his gaze to the exams he's been busy grading – what do I owe your visit to?

  * There is this one thing that I've wanted to talk to you about – his nephew replied, following with a question. - Am I not interrupting you?

  * No, don't worry – the teacher replied. - I have a divisible attention. Don't mind me. I'll just check the third-years' midyear exam in the meantime. Meanwhile, what's the thing you wanted to tell me about?

  * You know my friend Theon, right? - the boy asked, even though he knew the answer.

  * Yeah, he's a good kid. What about him?

  * See – there Robb took a brief pause, unsure of how to form the next few sentences – Theon's currently going through some... family related difficulties, which means he won't be able to spend Christmas at home this year. That's why I've thought that I might ask mom and dad if I could invite him to spend holidays with us.




Hearing that, uncle Benjen stopped scribbling stuff down on the parchment with his blood red ink and looked at the boy, clearly interested in his story. Yeah, there definitely must've been more to this story than what he's heard from his parents

  * Did they agree?

  * No, they didn't – Robb replied gloomily.

  * Well, clearly they must've had a valid reason to do so – the man seemed as if he wanted to close the topic as soon as it was possible, but the boy wasn't going to let go.

  * Exactly – he said, sounding way louder than he hoped he would. - Uncle, I know there's something my parents aren't telling me about Theon, and that they don't want me to bring him home with me, but I can't just let my best friend stay alone in Hogwarts at Christmas. If you know something, a reason why mom and dad don't like him or a way how to convince them to let him come with me, then, please, tell me.




Uncle Benjen didn't say anything back. He just stared at him with his blue, hawk-like eyes. However, it didn't seem like a stern look he used to give Robb whenever he'd do something wrong. Actually, it seemed like the teacher was rather impressed with the boy. Finally, after few seconds, the man sighed, fixing himself in his seat, and eventually opened his mouth to speak.

  * Are you familiar the “Sacred Twenty-Eight”?




The Hufflepuff just shook his head in response, as it was the first time he's ever heard anyone use such term.

  * The Sacred Twenty-Eight is, at least according to the authors behind it, a list of twenty-eight British families that are still considered to be “truly pure-blood”, or at least have been until the 1930s.

  * I understand – Robb replied – but why are you telling me this?

  * See – the man continued – to some of the wizards blood purity is a very serious matter. There are some people who consider wizards born out of Muggle families to be worse than the others. That's why this list has been created. It has been said to help the pure-blood families keep their blood status, but, to me, all it did was create more division in the wizarding world. The list consists of twenty-eight families, most of them well-known in the community, whether for good reasons or bad. There are Lannisters, there are Baratheons, Targaryens, Tyrells, Boltons... and, amongst them, also Greyjoys.

  * What about the Starks? - the boy asked.

  * As I said, the list has created a lot of division in the wizarding world. Some families have highly supported the creation of it, while some others have deeply deplored their status as one of the twenty-eight as they didn't see anything bad in accepting Muggle-borns into their families. Eventually, when the list has gotten officially published, two positions have been excluded from the final draft, after months of intense arguments on both sides. You know which families were they?




Once again, Robb shook his head, expressing his lack of knowledge in that field.

  * Starks, which your father and me come from, and Tullys, which your mother and aunt Lysa come from – the man replied. - While there were many more who have expressed their disappointment with creation the list, like the Tyrells or Karstarks, only those two have been removed from the list due to their harsh criticism towards it. This has earned the distaste from some others present on the list, such as the Targaryens or the Lannisters, who have dubbed both families “blood traitors.” Now, one of the most outspoken critics of your family, back in 1930s, were Greyjoys.

  * But... - Robb cut in eventually – b-but it has changed since then, right?




The teacher just smiled sympathetically, giving his nephew to understand that nothing has changed at all since then.

  * Oh... - the boy replied.

  * Greyjoys have been well-known to the wizarding world as being highly conservative in their world view. They've also been known as avid practitioners of dark magic, which most families have cut away from a long time ago. Even until these days, Greyjoys aren't really popular amongst the rest of the wizarding society. Theon may be a good kid; I have no doubt about that, but his family is a whole another story. With the exception of him and Yara, who seems rather decent compared to her relatives, nothing has changed amongst the Greyjoys. So, if you're looking for a reason why our parents didn't let Theon visit you, it's most likely because of that.




Then there came few seconds of silence, before any of them has decided to say anything else. After all he's heard from his uncle, Robb was slowly getting closer to the realization that he may never really convinve his family to let Theon spend Christmas with him. He knew that the boy's life wasn't all roses, but that has completely changed his viewpoint on the entire situation. What he hoped his talk with uncle Benjen might help him do was to help him understand what's the situation and how can he overcome it. How was he going to overcome over eighty years of mutual hatred between their families? It was beginning to look like it was going to be a rather lonely Christmas for Theon Greyjoy.

  * Robb? - uncle Benjen asked eventually. - Are you alright?

  * Yeah – the boy replied, aware of his own lies. - Is that all I need to know?




He pretty much expected the answer to be positive. After all, what else was there that he didn't know of? However, the sour expression on the face of his uncle pretty much confirmed the worst of his suspicions. What he's just heard was barely the tip of an iceberg.

  * That's not up for me to tell you – the man said sympathetically. - I'm sorry, Robb. I don't think there's anything you could do about it.




As much as he hated to admit it, uncle Benjen was right. The situation was hopeless. There was nothing he could possibly do about it. After all, how was he possibly going to end a conflict more than seven years older than him? Even the purest intentions couldn't solved some things. The saddest thing was that the only person who was going to get hurt in the ages-long battle between the Greyjoys and the Starks was Theon, who hasn't done anything wrong enough to deserve it. What he deserved was to spend this Christmas happily, sitting by the fireplace with a tray of cookies with his beloved family, and even if he didn't have one, Robb was more than willing to replace it for him, even if it was only for this one holiday week. He could already imagine how fun it would be to bring the boy along with him. He would show him around the house, show him all of his favorite stuff he couldn't take to Hogwarts with him. Then Theon would also have the chance to meet the rest of Robb's family, his siblings, even Grey Wind. Honestly, he could not wait until Theon gets to meet Grey Wind. Still, right now, the chances of it happening anytime soon were less than faint. This really saddened Robb, as he felt that if his parents only gave him the chance to introduce the boy to them, they would quickly find out that he was not like the rest of their family. Theon wasn't a crazy pure-blood supremacist or a wicked evil magician. He was his best friend, and Robb couldn't imagine having to leave him by himself during Christmas at Hogwarts. Still, it looked like he had to start getting used to the thought of that...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> English is difficult.
> 
> I've stumbled across the concept of Sacred Twenty-Eight when i was browsing through the Harry Potter Wiki, searching an inspiration, and as soon as I've seen it, I knew I had to put it somewhere in my story. In fact, I was quite surprised the list itself was a kind of non-factor in the HP universe, as to me it seemed like quite a big deal. That said, the Sacred Twenty-Eight isn't the sole reason why Robb's parents don't want Theon to spend Christmas at their house this year, and you're about to find out the real reason very soon. 
> 
> Next week: PAIN


	12. Letters That Went Unanswered

You know, for friends that were quite as close as Robb and Theon, they tended to avoid each other quite often, especially when something was going wrong between them. This time was no exception. Theon must've been really surprised to see how quickly the Hufflepuff has managed to drift away from him, no explanation given. Well, it was not like they've cut ties completely. The Breakfast Club still remained intact with all four boys always present by the table, no matter how much tension was between Jon and Theon at the time, and every lesson they've shared, they still sat at together. Still, the divide between them was rather easy to notice. Theon would no longer be waiting for Robb after each practice session, and their evening meetings would aways be cut short or skipped over completely. And it wasn't just the Slytherin who noticed it. Everyone around Robb have started to see that something was off between the two boys.

  * Your boyfriend's not coming to pick you up today? - Loras asked once while in the changing room.

  * No, he's not – he replied. - And stop calling him that!




Did Robb feel bad about it? Yes, of course. No matter what happened before, Theon was his best friend (or maybe even something more according to Loras and Yara's jokes) so his lack of presence in the boy's everyday life has become painfully obvious at some point in time. If he could, he would just ignore everything that was going on around him and kept talking to him just as he did before. He even tried to do so in the beginning, however, it was way harder to do so ever since the talk he had with his uncle. He knew that Theon never had a good relationship with the rest of his family, but he never realized why. It wasn't even that it made him change his mind on the boy or anything. It was not the case. He knew Theon. He may have been a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he wouldn't hurt a fly. Still, it has definitely changed his viewpoint on the entire situation. It was beginning to look like this time there was nothing Robb could do about it. He felt guilty. Why? To be honest, he had no idea. He knew that it was not in his power to convince his parents to let the son of Balon Greyjoy spent Christmas in their house. There really was nothing he could do about it. Besides, it's not like Theon has been completely honest with him all the time.

Bringing that subject up may seem like he was just whining, and maybe he was, but Robb still hasn't found out what happened to all of the letters he sent the boy during the course of this summer. Yeah, yeah, he knew Theon wanted to tell him when they first met each other, and he said he doesn't want to hear it for whatever reason. Still, during this pre-Christmas week he's been thinking a lot about it, and, in the end, he came to a conclusion. He _did_ want to hear it. It was simple like that... actually, no. Scrap that. It was not simple like that. Before Robb had no idea why Theon would just ignore the letters he sent him. Did he get tired of him? Did he not want to be friends with him anymore? Did he forget about him already? Still, when Robb finally met with him in the Hogwarts Express, Theon seemed happy to be able to finally see him again. That wasn't the reason then. There must've been another answer to why he didn't reply to his letters. Before Robb hadn't got the slightest idea what could it possibly be. Now he wished he was still in that state of blissful ignorance.

Still, the worst part of it all was watching Theon react to him slowly distancing himself away from him. He was no idiot. He could see what was going on. Robb was no longer here for him the way he used to be before. It hurt him a lot. Robb could see it in his eyes every time he apologized for having to leave earlier. After all, he wasn't only Theon's best friend. Truth be told, he was his only friend at Hogwarts. When Robb returned to Hogwarts, he thought he was in a hopeless position. Still, somehow he's managed to regain contact with most of his past friends and even gain some new ones: Jon, Loras, Renly, Sam, Wendel, Podrick and, of course, Theon himself. Even knowing that he was easily one of the least popular children in the entire school, he couldn't deny that it was a rather solid group of acquaintances. The Slytherin boy's group of friends, on the other hand, was much smaller, consisting of only one person: Robb. How come Theon had never found himself any other friends? It was hard to say. The fact that he spent most of his first year with Ramsay's asshole clique might have had something to do with it. Besides that, there are few people he can exchange a word with here and there, but it would be a stretch to call them his friends. After all, that group would consist of Jon, who he had an ongoing conflict with, Sam, whose weight he would make snarky remarks on at least once a day, and Renly, who he has only gotten to know because of Robb. He was truly the only one Theon could call his friend. And now he was going to leave him all by himself for the entire Christmas holidays.

  * I'm telling you, Jon – he confided in his brother as he accompanied him to the Gryffindor Tower. - I have no idea what to do.

  * So you're telling me our parents didn't agree on you bringing Theon home with us for Christmas? - the dark-haired boy asked.

  * Yes.

  * ...and you blame them for it? - Jon asked after a brief pause.

  * Jon!




It really annoyed him how much his brother and his best friend disliked each other. When the year was about to begin, he thought that maybe the three of them would make for quite a nice group, and they did... only it's a shame that Jon and Theon can't even hold a proper conversation together and always resort to childish bickering. As much as he loved both of them, sometimes he really wished he could just shut their mouth once and for all... actually, there might've been a spell for it. On the other hand, it might've not been the best idea to use it against one of the few people who still actually liked him.

  * I'm kidding, I'm kidding – the Gryffindor reacted quickly - but I still don't get why do you like him so much. He's a huge jerk.

  * He can be one, sometimes – Robb replied – but he has a heart in the right place.

  * He has stuck a wet finger into my ear! - Jon snapped in response.

  * Because you weren't paying attention to him!




That said, or yelled, he lowered his head and went silent again. He didn't mean to explode like that. Why was he even so defensive of Theon and his childish antics in the first place?

  * Sorry – Robb said shyly – I just don't know what to do.




None of them has said anything else for a while. Only as they've reached the corridor leading to the Gryffindor common room did Jon speak again.

  * You know – he started – I guess I could try and butter them up a little bit when we get home, just so maybe they'd let Theon stay with us next year, but, you know, I'm not their perfect little son so there's not a lot I can do about it.




Robb never liked when Jon described him as their parents' “perfect little son.” How was he perfect? He has literally lied to them for a whole year about his house. That was not what perfect children do. He was pretty sure Jon, the “imperfect” one, wouldn't have done the same thing under any circumstances. Theoretically, he was way closer to being this “perfect little son” he liked to speak of so much, but, for some reason, he always seemed to deny his position as such. Still, he was thankful towards him for trying to help him, even if he wasn't the biggest fan of Theon Greyjoy.

  * That would be great – Robb said – but it's about this year. I don't think there's much any of us can do about it. Thanks for listening anyway.

  * No problem – the younger Stark replied – and once again, sorry I can't help you.




Seeing his brother's cloudy expression, he put his hands on Robb's shoulders and squeezed them gently.

  * Next time they'll agree, I promise.




That said, he patted the Hufflepuff on the back one more and disappeared behind the portrait leading into the Gryffindor common room, leaving Robb alone with his thoughts in the hallway. He thought talking to Jon might help him calm his nerves, but, sadly, it didn't seem to work nearly as well as he hoped it would. Regardless of his brother's reassurances, he wasn't sure if his parents would ever agree to let a Greyjoy take a step inside of their house. Still, Theon was nothing like the rest of his family. Robb was sure that if only his parents have agreed to meet him, they would love him. Sadly, that was just a wishful thinking as he knew chances of that happening were near zero. It looked like it was high time for the boy to accept the fact that all he could do was send Theon a Christmas card to Hogwarts. It was slowly shaping up to be a very depressing holiday season.

When Robb entered his bedroom, the only person present was Wendel. The boy was laying, reading, only noticing his roommate's presence when he fell onto his bed with a loud huff, clearly unsatisfied with the recent events.

  * Rough day? - he asked, not raising his head from the pages of the book.



  * Kind of – Robb replied.

  * Problems with Greyjoy?




How did he know? Did he really get to a point when he has gotten _that_ predictable?

  * Maybe – Robb huffed back, hoping he won't have to divulge the entire story to his roommate.




Luckily for him, Wendel didn't pay any more attention to the boy as he quickly focused on his own book, letting the boy close his eyes and rest in peace for a minute or so. Only then did he speak again, having suddenly reminded himself of something rather important.

  * Oh, before I forget – he began – Talisa's been looking for you.




That one particular piece of information was enough to get Robb back on his feet. Talisa has been looking for him? Why? Did she want to be belched at by him again? Until now Robb has been fairly sure the girl won't be trying to strike up a conversation with him anytime soon, especially after what happened the last time. However, it looked like he might have been wrong about it. For some reason, Talisa seemed hellbent on talking to Robb again. The only thing the boy still didn't know was why. If he was in her place, he'd most likely never consider talking to himself again. Why didn't Talisa think so too? Or, more importantly, what did she even want to tell him?

  * What did she want? - Robb asked nervously.




Wendel seemed rather surprised by his friend's reaction, but eventually he answered.

  * Don't know, she just asked me to tell her when you come back. It looked like it's important.

  * Okay – Robb said, quickly heading out of the room – thanks for letting me know.

  * Are you going to talk to her? - the chubby Hufflepuff asked.

  * No – the brown-haired boy replied, slamming the door shut behind him.




Wendel looked right at the spot, where just few seconds ago stood his friend, in surprise, but eventually he just shrugged his shoulders and resumed reading, rather unaffected by anything that just happened.

You see, while going to the primary school, Robb has become quite familiar with the Muggle culture, which meant electricity and everything connected to it. In fact, his family did own a thing called “television.” It was rather weird but also quite amusing. It was like this square box with a thin pane of glass on which moving pictures would appear telling different stories. They didn't use it that often, but there was one thing in particular which sealed itself in Robb's mind for a while longer. It was the story of a giant man-eating shark. It was rather scary, but pictures weren't what has captured Robb's attention the most. It was the music. Whenever the shark would appear there was this one music piece which would play. The same one which played inside of his mind right now as he was trying to escape the dormitory without accidentally stumbling upon Talisa.

He opened the circular door leading to the common room.

_Dun dun..._

He took a look around it.

_Dun dun..._

He passed through the middle of it.

_Dun dun..._

He reached the exit.

_Dun dun..._

_(That's when the music gets faster.)_

He gripped the doorknob.

_Dun dun..._

He opened the door.

_Dun dun..._

He closed them.

_Dun dun..._

Then he turned around and ran off quickly, having remained unnotice-

  * You've been avoiding me, Robb Stark.




And that's the part where a shark maims its prey. That's it. She caught him. After nearly three months of avoiding her, he was finally going to have to face Talisa on a one-to-one basis. Suffice to say he wasn't too keen on doing that, but it looked like there was no other way out. He turned around, clenching his eyes shut, and when he opened them he saw... something even worse than what he had expected to see. He was really beginning to wish it was Talisa standing there.

See, in a moment of shock, Robb didn't realize that the voice speaking from behind him definitely did not belong to a girl. That explained why he was so surprised to see Theon Greyjoy standing near the entrance, his back rested against the wall, giving the boy a judging look with his arms crossed on his chest. If there was one conversation which Robb has dreaded more than the one with Talisa, it definitely was this one.

  * Theon, what are you doing here? - the Hufflepuff asked, truly surprised by the sight of his friend.

  * Waiting for you – Theon replied – since that appears to be the only way to get in touch with you.




His last words sounded full of resentment towards the boy for leaving him, and really, he had all the right to feel bitter about it. After all, his only friend has suddenly disappeared from his life without any explanation given. Still, Theon couldn't know what Robb has been going through right now. He didn't want to leave him. In fact, the only reason he even got himself in this position was that he didn't want to leave Theon alone for Christmas. He wasn't his enemy, so why was he treating him like one?

  * Look, Theon – Robb said, trying to find an easy way out of this conversation – I would love to have a talk with you, but right now I've promised to meet with Jon in the library. Could we put it off for later, please?




He felt awful trying to ditch his best friend like that, but, truth be told, he didn't know what else to do. He's never been in a situation like this before, so, until he's found the solution, he would prefer to keep the boy at arm's length.

  * I'm sure this won't be neccessary – Theon replied with a bitter smile. - I'm pretty sure Jon won't mind, considering you've come back from seeing each other just two minutes ago.




Robb didn't know how to reply. How did Theon even know?

  * Have you been spying on me? - he asked, trying to twist the situation around for his benefit.

  * Spying? - the Slytherin replied. - No... although I did see you two walking around the school. You won't get rid of me so easily, Stark.




Now he felt bad. Not only did he try to ditch his best friend, he also got caught lying. There was no way he was going to skip over the conversation now. He sighed loudly and looked at the boy in front of him.

  * What do you want from me?

  * I want you to talk to me – Theon replied, slightly annoyed that he even has to explain himself to Robb. - Explain why you've been so distant towards me. I mean, I've barely even spoken to you in, like, two weeks. What happened? Are you mad at me? Have I done something wrong?




Theon's voice cracked slightly at the last sentence, and Robb hasn't failed to notice it. It broke his heart. It wasn't Theon's fault. He hasn't done anything wrong. Neither of them has, but, for some reason, they seemed to be paying the consequences.

  * No, Theon – Robb said, looking deep into his friend's sea green eyes. - You haven't done anything wrong.

  * Then how come you avoid me? - Theon asked, his impatience growing stronger with every second. - And don't even try to lie to me. I've known you for more than a year now. I can tell when you're lying.




Well, truth be told, he was an awful liar.

  * Okay – Robb replied finally – you really want to talk about everything that happened?

  * Yes – Theon said without hesitation.

  * Then tell me about the letters. What happened to them? Why didn't you reply?




Theon went silent, hanging his head low. The fire, which was present in his eyes just a few seconds ago, was now gone. _“Ha! Not so easy, isn't it?”_ Robb thought to himself. Well, at least now he was going to find out the truth.

  * I thought you didn't want to know – Theon said shyly.

  * I thought so too – the Hufflepuff replied. - Turns out I was wrong. What happened to them?




No response came from the blond. It really wasn't going to be an easy talk, was it?

  * Is it about your father? - Robb asked, trying to help the boy out. - Did he forbid you from replying to me?




Theon looked at him, surprised with his friend's knowledge. Clearly Robb was on the right track.

  * I've spoken to uncle Benjen about it. Now tell me, did your dad forbid you from replying to me?




The Slytherin has only nodded his head in response, barely raising his eyes to look at his friend. He must've been feeling really guilty right now. Needlessly. Robb wasn't mad at him. He understood that there was nothing Theon could do about it. There was nothing to be ashamed of.

  * Theon – Robb began – if it's about the whole Twenty-Eight thing-

  * It's not about the Twenty-Eight, Robb – the boy snapped suddenly, the emotion evident in his voice.




Then came a moment of silence. Robb was highly surprised to see his friend in a state like that. Theon has never been the one to loose his cool like that. Now, however, he stood there, his face red from emotion, fists clenched; even his eyes seemed to flicker in the candlelight as if tears were about to stream down the boy's cheeks. Whatever was on his mind, it must've been serious.

  * Then what is it about? - the brown-haired boy asked, his voice much more delicate than before. - Theon, please.

  * Did your uncle tell you about what happened after the Sacred Twenty-Eight? - he asked eventually, his voice cracking once again.

  * No – Robb shook his head.




Only now did he remind himself that his uncle said it was not the end of the story. But what happened afterwards? What could have happened that was so awful it almost made Theon cry? Whatever it was, one thing was for sure. He wasn't going to like it.

  * I've had two brothers, you know? - Theon began, having managed to slightly calm himself down. - Rodrik and Maron.

  * You've never told me about them – Robb interrupted.




When asked about his family, Theon has only told him about his father and Yara. Certainly he never mentioned having two other siblings.

  * I've never seen the need to do so – the Slytherin replied. - Honestly, I've never liked them. Rodrik was quite a drunkard, from what I can recall. He would always come home late with an open bottle of vodka in his hand. He would drink it as if it was orange juice, I swear. Mum would tell him not to do it, but he didn't listen. He kept on coming home drunk. Not that my father cared. Heck, he was proud of his little boy for acting like a true man would. Maron I didn't like either. He's always been a jerk towards me. He would always call me a girl and make fun of how I looked like. I've always been rather skinny, unlike my older, well-built brothers... well, at least until Rodrik got fat from drinking so much. It didn't stop him from making fun of me, though. I swear, sometimes I hated them both. Still, they were my brothers.




_“Were...”_ This one word in particular couldn't leave Robb's head. Why was he using the past tense? What happened to them? Did they have a fight? Did they move out? What happened to his brothers?

  * You know that my family has never been particularly rich. I mean, surely we were better off than now, but we still couldn't afford many of the more expensive things. My parents seemed to be fine with that, but Rodrik and Maron didn't. They-they've...




There Theon stopped for a while to calm himself down and as he did, he continued.

  * They've gotten themselves into a very bad company. Dark magic, smuggling, drugs... all that stuff. I remember they would bring all of those expensive things from shops back home and hide it under their beds. Once I've asked Maron how they afforded them, but he just pushed me against the wall and threatened to beat me up if I said anything to mum. I didn't, even though maybe I should've. See, obviously my brothers have quickly made themselves quite well known to the Ministry, having been responsible for many thefts around the country. That's why they've assigned some of the best in the business to catch them. And they did.




Robb could feel his hands starting to twitch lightly. Something didn't seem right about this story. Weren't the ones responsible for dealing things like this... you know...

  * It was somewhere near Aberdeen – Theon continued – right by the coast. There was this one boat they've attempted to steal from, but they didn't expect they might get caught. They've decided to run, but the Ministry forces have been right behind them. Then they've stumbled upon this old, abandoned warehouse. They've thought they might hide there. Still, soon they've been found. The Ministry forces have surrounded them. They knew very well what happens to people like them. They get put into prison. Some of the worst ones might even end up in Azkaban, and that's not exactly a place anyone would like to find himself in. Some might even prefer to die than to be sent there there. Apparently they've thought so too.




Robb's already naturally huge blue eyes have widened in shock. No, there's no way that they...

  * They've blown the warehouse up with themselves still inside of it... well, at least they didn't get caught.




Theon turned around, wiping the tears which filled his eyes away with his hands. Robb still couldn't believe what he's just heard. He never knew that something like this had happened to his best friend. He couldn't even force himself to think what would've happened if he was in his position. He couldn't bear if something happened to any of his brothers. What would he do without Jon? Or little Rickon? Or even Bran? He's almost lost him once already. He wouldn't bear going through it again.

  * Theon – Robb managed to mumble out, grabbing the boy's attention – I-I'm...




He stopped, unable to say a word. He wished he could tell Theon how sorry he felt for his brothers' tragic death, yet he couldn't.

  * I know, Robb – the Slytherin replied softly. - That's not the part I wanted to tell you about, though.




Wait, was there something else to it? No, please, Robb couldn't possibly bear to hear anything else. After all, what could've been worse than the story he's just heard?

  * You see – Theon began – when I was home for summer my father has told me the identity of the men who have taken part in the action near Aberdeen.




Wait... no, this couldn't possibly be it.

  * And one of them, the one who led the very action...




It was impossible. It couldn't be...

  * Was Eddard Stark. Your father.




There was only one time in Robb's entire life when he felt quite as horrible as he felt right now. It was back when he had first heard of Bran's accident. He couldn't stop himself from crying. He was afraid his little brother was going to die. He has only been four back then. He couldn't die. People aren't born to die so quickly. Luckily, his brother has gotten out of it just fine, even if not entirely unharmed. This time, however, it looked like there was no happy ending to that story. Theon's brothers have died in an action led by his father. This seemed way too surreal to be true. It couldn't be true. His father... his actions... they didn't kill people. They couldn't have died. Not in an action led by his father. Right? Right?!

  * Robb? - he heard Theon ask. - Are you okay?

  * Yeah, I'm fine.




He was lying. No, he wasn't fine, and Theon seemed to have picked up on it as well. Still, so far it seemed like he was willing to play along.

  * Is there anything else to the story? - Robb replied, trying not to sound too miserable around Theon.



  * No – the blond replied – the rest you already know.




There was a multitude of thoughts going around Robb's head right now, yet he didn't have a single thing to say. He wanted to say something. He felt like it was the right thing to do. Still, there was nothing. After all, what could he say? _“I'm sorry my father may have been partially responsible for the death of your brothers?”_ What kind of a jerk would you have to be to even say something like that? Thank God he didn't actually tell him about his plans to invite him home for Christmas. He was sure that out of all the awkward family dinners, this one would definitely take the cake. It almost felt like a cruel joke on the world's behalf. He has finally found himself a friend, but he couldn't even bring him home because his father has led the action which had gotten his older brothers killed. Right now Robb would rather live through a million of Ramsay's public reveals just to make sure this wasn't true... but it was, and there was nothing he could possibly do about it.

  * Theon – he mumbled out, half-incoherently, in a desperate effort to try and say something – I-I...




He didn't even get to finish as he burst into tears, unable to control himself. It was like the worst of nightmares. The knowledge of Theon's backstory was already bad enough as it was, and now he found out his father may have been involved with all of it. Suddenly, Robb felt someone's arms wrapping themselves tightly around him. As he opened his eyes, he noticed Theon pulling him into a tight hug. That, however, was not the most surprising part. The most surprising part was the sight of tears streaming down his cheeks.

  * I've read them – he said. - Every single one. I'm sorry I haven't replied to them, Robb.

  * It's okay, Theon – the Hufflepuff replied through tears. - I'm sorry about your brothers.

  * I wasn't that close with them anyways – the blond replied, even if it seemed like he wasn't telling the truth. - Just so you know, I'm not holding any grudges against your father. He was only fulfilling his duties as an auror. I know he hasn't done any of it on purpose.

  * But... - Robb began – your brothers are dead, and my father may have been responsible for it. You should hate him. You should hate me. Why don't you hate me?

  * You can be really stupid sometimes – Theon said, tightening his grip around the boy. - I couldn't hate you even if I wanted to.




Robb felt his face burning up with a blush as he smiled through tears, but this time he didn't care if Theon sees it or not. There was no shame in that.

  * The reason I've been avoiding you recently – the Hufflepuff continued as Theon let go of his grasp – was that I've written to my parents, asking if you could spend this Christmas at our house. I didn't want to leave you alone in the castle. They didn't agree, though, and I didn't know what to do about it. I'm sorry if I hurt you.

  * It's okay – Theon replied. - I understand. Thanks for asking anyway.

  * No problem – Robb said, running his hand through the storm chestnut locks on his head.

  * It's kind of a shame, actually - the blond continued. - I would love to spend Christmas at your house.

  * Yeah, you could finally meet Grey Wind. I bet he'd like you. You could also meet the rest of my siblings.




Hearing that, Theon made a sour face, clearly not too keen on that prospect.

  * Yeah, about that – he said – if they're anything like Jon, I think I'd rather pass on that one.




Quickly he received a punch in the arm as a response from his best friend, although he didn't seem to offended judging by the playful smile on his face.

  * You're a jerk, Theon Greyjoy.

  * I know – the boy replied. - That's why you like me.




Yeah, that's why he liked him, indeed.

The next few days have certainly brought an improvement to the boys' friendship. There was no running away or hiding the truth from each other. Just two really good friends spending time with each other. Robb found it funny how he thought talking about what happened between their families may hurt their relationship, when, in reality, they have become closer than they've ever been. How would his life look like if he wasn't friends with Theon? Truth be told, he didn't know and didn't want to know. He was just grateful that in between all this insanity he has finally managed to find a true friend. One that would stick with him no matter what happened next. Could this get any better for both of them? Well, for once it appeared that, indeed, it could.

As per usual, the boys have been sitting in the Great Hall, having breakfast before the lessons. The enchanted ceiling showed tiny snowflakes falling onto the ground from the sky. The first snow came surprisingly late this year. As he took another bite of the pancake, generously doused in the maple syrup, Robb wondered if the next days would bring more of this cold, winter weather. After all, what would be Christmas without the usual snowball fight between his siblings. This year he and Sansa wanted to get revenge on Jon and Arya for the resounding failure they've suffered last year, and how could they do that if there was no snow? That's when he heard the loud screeching of the owls.

Theon and Jon stopped bickering about whatever they've been bickering about as the room has filled itself with hundreds of birds. Robb didn't pay too much attention to them as he didn't expect any letter from his parents. After all, they have just written to them a week ago, detailing what time they should arrive at the train station. However, a familiar screech has made him look upwards. Balthazar was easy to notice amongst the other owls. Comparing him to all the tiny screech owls floating right next to him seemed almost disrespectful. Tied around his talons, Balthazar carried an envelope in a familiar shade of light green, which his mother often used to send letters in. As Robb extended his arm, the huge bird landed on it, attracting the gaze of all students surrounding them. It was a normal reaction for a bird his size.

  * Thank you, Balthazar – Robb said, ruffling the soft feathers on the bird's belly.



  * Who is it from? - Sam asked as the bird flew away along with the rest of his tinier colleagues.

  * It's from mum and dad – the older Stark answered, taking a quick look at the envelope.

  * Well, what are you waiting for? - his younger brother scolded him. - Open it up.




Robb followed his brother's advice he opened the green envelope, pulling the folded piece of parchment from inside of it.

 

_Dear Robb,_

 

_We've been thinking a lot about your offer to bring Theon along with you this Christmas, and even if our first answer was negative, recently we have come to a conclusion that we might have been a bit too harsh on you. We wouldn't mind one bit if your friend came to visit us. You can thank your uncle for writing a letter to us, sticking up for your cause. He's always been highly supportive of you. So, yes, it would be a pleasure to guest Theon in our house this Christmas._

 

_Also, uncle Benjen has promised us to get the three of you to our home safely by the Floo Network, so we will already be waiting for you at home. Don't be too late. We wouldn't want your mother's roast to go cold before you get a chance to try it._

 

_See you soon,_

_Mum and Dad._

 

  * What's going on? - asked Jon, alerted by the smile on his brother's face.




The boy didn't reply to his question, though, instead looking over towards Theon, seemingly confused by his friend's reaction.

  * Theon – he asked. - Are you ready to finally meet Grey Wind?




The smile on Slytherin's face signified that, indeed, he is ready. A heartbroken yelp could have been heard from side of the table where Jon was sitting. Robb didn't care, though. His best friend was going to spend Christmas with him, and there was not a single thing going to ruin it now, not even his younger brother's constant cries for help.

Get ready, Theon! Stark-mas is coming!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told y'all this one was going to hurt, didn't I?
> 
> I'm proud to say this one is actually one of my favorite chapters I have written so far, as most of the Robb and Theon driven chapters are. Hopefully the resolution of the letters plotline I have been torturing you with for the past few months is satysfying enough for all of you. If it's not, well, the next chapter's rather special as well, so I really hope you will enjoy that one. Also, I know the Jaws reference is totally random, but I've gone to Ryan Murphy's school of adding pop culture references when I don't know how to lead the story. And now excuse me, but I need to get my lazy, overworked ass to work on the third part of the story. Wish me luck (seriously).
> 
> Next week: Christmas at Starks'!!!


	13. It's a Wonderful Life!

Robb's wishes for a cold and snowy holiday season haven't gone unanswered as in the span of three days the entire castle got burried under a thick layer of fluff. Some students, satisfied with the winter weather, have used this opportunity to have some fun with it, snowball fights included, both outside and inside the castle. Of course, mr. Frey didn't seem to share the students' enthusiasm over the tons of white death laying everywhere around him as, after all, he would be the one responsible for cleaning all this mess afterwards.

  * Horrible little shitheads – he would mutter under his breath, having made sure no one around him was listening. - If only I could, I would punish them in the best way possible.




One could only wonder what mr. Walder Frey deemed as the best way possible to do so. Still, the grumpy caretaker seemed to be the only problem bothering Robb right now, and even then he wouldn't have to worry too much about the old man. After all, he was already well on his way to the Hogsmeade train station, heading straight towards his hometown where he would spend this holiday, alongside his family and his best friend. It's been a while since Robb has been in a mood quite as good as today.

  * It really is cold outside – Theon said, shivering slightly in his oversized jacket.




This one seemed to be way more comfortable than the gigantic overcoat he had on when they've first met inside the Hogwarts Express, but it still didn't feel like a sufficient protection from the freezing winds of winter. Of course, Robb has offered Theon that he would lend him one of his countless jackets, but the boy remained as stubborn as always.

  * I like cold – the Hufflepuff replied with a blissful smile on his face.



  * What are you going to do this Christmas? - Samwell, who accompanied the boys on their way to the train, asked curiously.

  * For most part, I guess I'll just try to make sure Theon and Jon won't kill themselves being in the same place for the next ten days.




Hearing that, the Slytherin chuckled, aware of Robb's younger brother's aversion to him. To be honest, annoying Jon was as much of a reason to spend holidays at Starks' as being with his best friend. The dark-haired boy turned around, giving Theon a cautionary look.

  * If you enter my room, you're sleeping outside.




Robb only rolled his eyes, not planning to let his friends' childish arguments get in the way of his Christmas spirit. After all, he's been waiting so long for December to come. Truth be told, he was feeling a little homesick recently, even more so than during his first year at Hogwarts. He just couldn't wait until he gets to see his entire family again.

  * How about you, Sam? - he asked the younger boy. - How are you going to spend the holidays?

  * I think I'll just lock myself in my room for the next week or so – the Ravenclaw replied, huffing sadly. - I'd rather avoid spending much time with my father or Dickon.

  * Wait! – Theon said loudly, out of nowhere. - Your brother's name is _Dickon?!_ Does your father hate you or what?!

  * Pretty much, yes – the boy replied.




He opened his mouth to say something else, but then a snowball has hit him right in the back of his head, successfully interrupting him. As the boys turned around, they've noticed no one else but Ramsay Bolton and his group of misfits standing right behind them, all with joyful smirks on their faces.

  * It hurt – Sam said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

  * Merry Christmas to you too, Pork Chops – Ramsay replied with a fake wishful tone, proceeding to approach the four boys. - Just be glad I didn't put a stone inside of it. Well, won't you look at that. Indeed it must be Christmas soon, since the animals are already gaining voice. Not only do we have a hog here, but also a chicken. How are you, Stark?




Robb was about to snap something back in response to the boy, but his best friend was quicker to do so.

  * Go away, Bolton! - Theon said in a threatening tone, curling up his hands into fists just in case it came down to a physical fight. - No one wants you in here! Shouldn't you be off torturing kittens or whatever gets you off?!




For a while Robb was afraid that Ramsay would lunge at the boy any minute, but instead of that, he just smiled.

  * You seem rather angry today, Greyjoy – the Slytherin replied. - Don't you?




Then he widened his eyes in a moment of mock realization, his facial expression showing something vaguely resempling of sincere sympathy.

  * Oh, wait... is it because your daddy didn't want you to come home for Christmas? Is that it, Greyjoy? Because, for one, I would be devastated if my dad didn't want me home with him.




Okay, now the tables have turned. Robb was pretty sure that this time it was Theon who would lunge himself at Ramsay in what would basically be a suicide attack. He grabbed the boy's wrist, just to make sure that such situation doesn't happen ,and pulled him out of the evil Slytherin's way.

  * Theon, let's go.




At last, while clearly reluctant to go, the blond has moved eventually, not taking his stormy sea green eyes of Bolton even for a minute. Robb, however, quickly moved his gaze as far away from him as possible. He was not going to let a stupid bully like Ramsay ruin his holidays, no matter how cruel what he had to say to him would be.

  * Okay then! - he heard coming from behind him. - See you soon, Stark! Make sure you don't eat too many beans this Christmas! We've seen you burp! I'm not sure if anyone would like to see you fart! As for you, Greyjoy- SON OF A...




As Robb turned around, he noticed Ramsay wiping his now pinkish face out of snow and his faithful clique looking at him in pure shock. Surely, he didn't expect to get that kind of answer from anyone in here. The Hufflepuff looked over at Theon, who seemed just as surprised at him, and then moved his gaze away towards his younger brother, his feet spread wide apart in a prefect throwing position, looking over at Ramsay with pure hatred in his eyes. Having wiped his hand wet from snow onto his trousers, he looked over at Robb.

  * Let's go now – he growled and quickly strutted over towards the front of the procession, Samwell following right behind him.

  * I have to admit – Theon said, seemingly still shocked over what he has just witnessed – I am a bit impressed now.




He wasn't the only one. Maybe Gryffindor really was the best pick for Jon?

  * Are you sure that's the same one? - Theon asked as the boys have entered one of the compartments on the train.




Robb leant down, looking at the wooden surface under the tiny table in search of something. Quickly, he found a crudely scraped out picture of a stick man with an inscription saying _“I STINK!”_

  * Arryn's here – he replied joyfully. - That's the one.




That said, all four of the boys have taken off their winter coats and made themselves quite at home in their usual compartment. Soon they've felt the train jerk slightly, and then once more. Not a while afterwards, the train has left Hogsmeade, headed towards another destination – the King's Cross Station.

  * Alright, guys – Theon said, grabbing everyone else's attention. - Are you ready for Christmas?




That's when Robb gasped, only now having reminded himself of something.

  * Wait, there's still one more thing.




That said, he reached over to his bad and pulled out the necklace professor Baelish has given him out of it. Now, in the daylight, the gemstone, which served as its pendant, seemed to have changed its colors. The deep emerald of it now seemed to have reached a lighter, warmer shade of green, reminding the boy of the first spring grass outside of his house. The reddish orange part, however, has now gained a yellow-like shine to it. As much as he hated Baelish, Robb had to admit the stone looked downright astonishing, no matter what kind of light shined through it.

  * It's beautiful – Sam remarked, awed by the beauty of the gem.

  * I know – Robb replied, before opening up the window and quickly tossing the necklace out of the moving train. - It was beautiful.




The boy's travel companions all seemed somewhat disturbed by his actions, but none of them have said a thing, instead choosing to focus on their own business. Now, with Baelish's creepy gift finally gone, there was nothing stopping Robb from having a good time at home with his family and his best friend.

The road back home has never taken so little before, even with all the snow and wind outside making the transport potentially troublesome. It really seemed like just a few seconds before uncle Benjen has come knocking on the boys' door to tell them that they were almost there. As they have stepped out of the train, they've noticed hundreds of parents waiting in anticipation for their kids to come home. They must've really missed them, through those nearly four months of not being able to see them.

  * There they are – Sam remarked sadly, pointing to a pair of people standing near the entrance. - My parents.




Robb looked over towards where the Ravenclaw was showing him. The man seemed to be in his thirties, with a clean bald head and a stern look on his face. While Robb knew way better than to judge a book by its cover, he certainly didn't really seem to be a “fun dad.” Then again, neither did his dad, but it was a different case with him. Eddard Stark may have seemed rather harsh at first sight, but once you have actually gotten to know him, he was a great man. Sam's dad, however, seemed to be a jerk in every aspect. Thank God his mother seemed rather pleasant or else he would have to consider taking the chubby boy home with them too. Still, having said goodbye to them all, Sam left towards his parents without a hint of enthusiasm.

  * Are you guys ready? - uncle Benjen asked, pulling Robb out of his thoughts.

  * Yeah – he replied with a smile – sure we are.




The man has led the three boys in the direction opposite the entrance, passing the sign with _“FLOO NETWORK”_ written on it in capital letters. Indeed, soon Robb's eyes have met a rather long line of wizards waiting patiently for their turn to use the fireplace to transport themselves out of the station. He watched carefully as a small girl took a handful of the green powder and threw it onto the floor, first having loudly named the address of the place she wanted to reach. The tall green flames have engulfed her from head to toes, and a moment later she wasn't there. Robb has used the Floo Powder before, but only to communicate with his parents. He has never really used it to transport himself anywhere. The prospect of that seemeed kind of frightening to him. Did those flames burn? Could he injure himself somehow? What if he ends up in the wrong place?

  * Okay – the man said – few rules first. Don't open your eyes, keep your elbows tucked in and try to avoid fidgeting or panicking. We wouldn't want you coming out the wrong fireplace. Any other questions?




All three of the boys shook their heads simultaneously.

  * Very well... who wants to go first?




No one replied.

  * Oh, come on, boys – uncle Benjen said encouragingly. - There's nothing to be afraid of. Jon? Would you like to come first?




The boy looked over at his schoolmates, but seeing as there's no way they would go ahead of him he sighed and taken a step forward.

  * Great, my brave nephew.




As a shapely, dark-skinned witch disappeared into the flames, Jon stepped inside of the fireplace and looked at his uncle, unsure of what to do.

  * Just say _“North Street 11”_ , and throw it – he explained. - Just say it loud and clear, okay?




Jon nodded his head, slightly distrustful of his uncle's place, but a moment afterwards he has done as asked and disappeared into the sea of green flames.

  * Great, who's next? Robb?




Robb sighed in defeat, seeing as therewas no other way out, and quickly took the spot where his brother stood just a moment ago, holding a handful of the green powder inside of his hand.

  * North Street 11! - he said and then clenched his eyes shut.




There was a loud whoosh and suddenly he felt something like the wind ruffling his hair. His feet were off the solid ground, but he felt surprisingly stabile floating in the mid-air. Just a few seconds later it has all stopped, everything returning back to normal. Robb took this as a cue to open his eyes. He was inside of some sort of reception room, where Jon has already been waiting for him, his clothes partially covered in soot.

  * There you are – he said calmly. - Step out of the fireplace, unless you'd like Theon to land on your head.




Robb followed his younger brother's advice and, indeed, soon the Slytherin appeared inside of the fireplace, stumbling a bit as he returned to the ground.

  * I'm fine – he exclaimed with a flustered smile.




Right as he stepped out, uncle Benjen has joined the boys and, having dusted off his shoulders, smiled at them.

  * Let's go, kids. The house is still five minutes away from here.




The first thing which has struck Robb as the door of his house opened was the smell. The wonderful smell of his mother's roast. She only makes it once a year, during Christmas, and while pies are the one thing Robb anticipates the most, he would always end up taking a double portion of the dish. Then he heard the dogs barking loudly from inside. Yeah, there was no denying it was the Starks' house he has come into. The first of the family to visit the guests was the dog. A particular one at that. One with red eyes and white fur. Having noticed the dark-haired boy amongst the newcomers, it wagged its tail happily and ran off towards him.

  * Ghost! - Jon exclaimed happily, leaning down to ruffle the fur of his animal companion.

  * We're home! - uncle Benjen yelled, just in case their arrival hasn't been noticed by anyone.

  * I'm coming, I'm coming... - a female voice could be heard from the inside.




Robb looked over at his best friend, noticing the boy's nervous expression. He must've been feeling really uncomfortable right now. Well, Robb couldn't blame him. After all, it wasn't just one or two people he was meeting. It was the entire Stark clan, including his parents, all the kids and six dogs. There was no wonder why the initially shy Theon would find himself uncomfortable in a situation like that.

  * How are you doing? - he asked, nudging the boy gently with his elbow.

  * I'm fine – Theon replied with a honest but still worried smile.

  * Well, get ready then – Robb said warmly. - Here they come.




The first human being to greet the visitors in their house was mrs. Stark. Robb knew the picture very well. His mum, wearing her red-and-blue apron, completely doused in flour and chocolate stains. Still, she looked a little bit different today. Usually, by this time, her hair would be tied back into a messy bun, with a permanent look of murder on her face. After all, cooking was a serious business for Catelyn Stark. Today, however, her fiery red hair have been arranged into a fancy hairdo, and the natural beauty of her face was highlighted by a gentle touch of make-up. It came as no surprise to Robb that his perfect housewife of a mother would've wanted to look her best if she was going to invite someone over for Christmas.

  * Ben, so nice to see you again – she said, pulling her brother-in-law into a hug, not too tight so he doesn't get dirty from touching her apron. - Robb, come here my child!




Hearing that, the boy sprinted over towards his mother and wrapped his arms around her, not caring too much about the dirty apron.

  * How was the journey? - she asked him.

  * Not so bad, actually – Robb replied excitedly. - Uncle Benjen has taught us how to use the Floo Network!

  * Well, I'm glad you've enjoyed it – she said, then glancing over towards the other Stark boy. - Hello, Jon.

  * Good evening, mrs. Stark – he replied politely.




Theon looked over at Robb, clearly confused with the entire situation. However, he didn't receive an answer as that's exactly when the woman has chosen to set her bright blue eyes on him.

  * You must be Theon, am I right? - she began, walking over towards the boy confidently with a warm but still highly exalted smile. - My name is Catelyn Stark. I'm Robb's mum.

  * Nice to meet you, mrs. Stark – the Slytherin replied, shaking the woman's hand.

  * Feel free to come inside – she told him and the rest of his visitors in a particularly distinguished manner. - Everyone's already waiting for you to come.




That said, with one more smile, she disappeared behind the kitchen door. Jon and his dog have followed right behind her with uncle Benjen joining them reluctantly. Only Robb and Theon were left still standing in the hallway.

  * She seems nice – the blond said, clearly intimidated by the woman.

  * I'm sorry for her – Robb replied. - She is always like that whenever guests come to our house. She wants them to see her as some perfect housewife or something... I don't know. The rest of them isn't as scary, I swear.

  * I sure hope so – Theon replied, cracking a little smile towards his friend.

  * Well, let's go inside and meet them.




The Slytherin nodded his head quickly and the boys headed out to join rest of the family inside the kitchen. The room has been directly connected to a huge living room with furry armchairs and a large white sofa standing near the fireplace. Robb's house couldn't really be described as disgustingly opulent, as it was often the case with rather wealthy wizarding families. It was actually really warm and pleasant, but you could tell just by looking at it that the owners had some spare money to burn. For a while he felt bad for even bringing Theon in here in first place, knowing of his financial struggles, but the boy didn't seem to mind it that much, looking over the whole place with amazement.

  * Now that's a pretty big house – he said.

  * ROBB!




Right then a little ball of energy and curly hair made its way towards the boy, right into his older brother's arms. A dark-furred husky dog, Shaggydog, followed right behind, curious to get a sniff of a very freaked out Theon's leg.

  * Hello there, Rickon! - Robb said, picking the little thing up.



  * Dad! - the boy called in excitement. - Robb's here! Robb's here!




Only then did they notice a whole lot of other people looking at them from inside of the living room. Robb smiled brightly at the sight of that. His entire family was already there, waiting for him.

  * Hey, guys! - he said, then looking over at his friend. - Everyone, this is Theon! Say “hello” to Theon!




A cacophony of answers has sounded out from the living room. Robb grabbed the boy by his hand, leading him inside to meet the rest of his relatives.

  * Theon – he said, pointing to the dark-haired boy sitting on the wheelchair, accompanied by his light-brown husky, Summer – this is Bran.




The younger brother managed a slight smile out of himself and nodded his head towards the newcomer.

  * Nice to meet you – he said.

  * Then, next to Jon, that's Arya! Say hi, Arya!




The girl in question, currently sitting on the fluffy white carpet alongside Jon and two of their dogs, Ghost and Nymeria, quickly picked herself up off the floor and made her way towards the boys.

  * Hi – she said, extending her arm to greet the boy. - My name is Arya. It's a pleasure to meet you, Theon..

  * The pleasure's all mine – the Slytherin said with a smile, returning the gesture.




As she grabbed the Slytherin's hand, Arya arched her eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously.

  * Jon wrote me in his letters that you're a dickwad. Is that true?




Having heard that, Theon turned his gaze towards the dark-haired boy, who has suddenly turned his gaze towards Ghost and his light grey-furred companion, pretending not to care about the conversation.

  * Well – he said – you know what they say. It takes one dickwad to know the other.




Arya chuckled at that, as she always did when she heard someone swear, and returned to her previous spot.

  * And that... – Robb begun, before getting interrupted by the man.

  * Let me introduce myself – he said, getting up from his armchair, headed towards Theon.




For a split second, Robb was sure he could see a glimmer of pure panic inside of his friend's eyes, almost as if he expected the man to outright murder him on the spot. Still, nothing like that has happened as mr. Stark just smiled at him warmly, and reached out his arm to greet him.

  * Eddard Stark – he introduced himself – head of the family, Robb's father.

  * It's an honour to meet you, sir - Theon replied, slightly abashed with the man's presence.

  * Well, I'm glad I could finally meet you – he said joyfully. - Robb has told us a _lot_ about you.

  * Oh - the boy replied, looking over towards his friend, who hid his reddening face behind his brown curls in embarrassment - he did?

  * Dad... – he said, trying his best to stop his father from embarassing him anymore.




Luckily for him, that's when another person has decided to barge into the room, with the aura of sweet, candy-like perfume surrounding her.

  * Are they here already? - the red-haired girl asked, her voice full of resentment. - I think I've said that I won't be ready until-




There she stopped abruptly, staring at the assembled people like a deer caught in headlights... well, staring at one particular assembled person like a deer caught in headlights.

  * Hey, Sansa! - Robb said cheerfully, ignoring his sister's rather unpleasant reaction towards their arrival. - This is Theon, my friend from Hogwarts.




The boy stepped forward, extending his arm towards the girl in a friendly manner, as she kept on staring at him with pure panic in her eyes.

  * Hi, I'm Theon. Nice to...




He didn't manage to finish, though, as Sansa turned around quickly and ran out of the room in a hurry, startling the Slytherin boy in the process.

  * I think she has taken a liking to you – Robb's father said, nudging the boy with his elbow in a friendly manner.




At least now both of the boys have been blushing quite as much as the other.

Still, even after the mass attack Theon has endured in the living room, there was still someone else waiting to meet him. Arguably, the most important personality in the entire house... at least to Robb. As the boy opened the door to his bedroom, the first thing which Theon must've noticed were the good sixty pounds of a dog laying on the bed, its huge blue eyes fixed right on its owner and his friend.

  * There you are, big boy – the Hufflepuff said, taking a sit on the bed to give beloved buddy a hug. - And here I've thought you didn't want to come and greet me.




Indeed, it didn't seem like the dog was upset over the boy's absence, wagging his tail and barking happily.

  * Wow – Theon said, taking a good look at the animal. - And I've thought your living room was big. What have you been feeding him?




Robb just smiled, rubbing his dog's soft underbelly.

  * Yeah, I know. He is a tad bigger than his siblings.

  * A tad bigger? - the Slytherin asked. - It looks like it would have no problem eating the rest of them. The bloody thing's enormous.



  * The fur makes him look bigger – Robb said in defense of his four-legged companion. - And the bloody thing has a name. This is Grey Wind. Say hello to him, Theon.




Almost as if he understood, the dog fixed his cold blue eyes upon the blonde boy standing in the doorway. It didn't seem aggressive or hostile, tough. He was clearly curious about the newcomer in his owner's room as it keenly observed every single one of his movements.

  * A-are you sure it's a good idea? - Theon asked reassuringly.




Robb could see he was afraid of the dog, and to he really couldn't blame him for that. After all, he was right about one thing. Grey Wind and the rest of the Starks' dogs were rather huge by husky standards. Jon has come up with a theory that maybe they weren't purebreed, but rather a mix of two different breeds. Not a single man with right in their head would like to mess around with an animal of its size. Still, Grey Wind has been trained well. He's never bitten anyone before. There was no reason why Theon should be afraid of him.

  * Oh, come on – Robb encouraged his friend. - Grey Wind is a good boy. He'= will be nice, I promise.




Theon hesitated for a while, obviously not to keen on getting acquainted with the canine, but it looked like once again the astonishing power of Robb's puppy eyes has won the boy over.

  * Alright – he said. - The things I do for you Robb Stark.




That said he slowly approached the dog, extending his arm to pet it. Grey Wind watch him come over with curiosity as he raised his head to take a better look at the boy. Theon flinched at the dog's movement and jumped back slightly, but seeing his friend's unimpressed expression, he moved forward, eventually laying his hand down on the animal's head, petting it lightly. It seemed to enjoy it as it closed it eyes and wagged its tail in pleasure.

  * Look at that – Robb said, smiling brightly. - I think he likes you.

  * Really? - the Slytherin asked, surprised.

  * Yeah, just look – the boy replied, gesturing at the dog.




Theon's face also brightened up at the sight of it as he looked at his friend with a proud expression.

  * Well, I've always been good with animals – he said.




Robb smirked, aware of the fact that just a minute Theon was about to wet his pants at the mere sight of Grey Wind, but he decided no to ruin the moment by reminding him of that.

  * Okay – the Slytherin began, still busy ruffling the dog's fur – now I've got to ask: how did you and your family end up under one roof with six freaking gigantic husky dogs.

  * It's a rather long story – Robb replied. - It was after Bran has had the accident. He was really upset over the fact that he'll be stuck to a wheelchair, so my parents have decided to make him feel better. Dad has taken me and Jon to the nearest animal shelter and told us to choose a dog for Bran. As we were searching, we've stumbled upon the cage with six tiny husky puppies. The employee said that their mother has died in childbirth. I've looked one of them in the eyes, and I just fell in love with it. I knew we have to take them home. At first my dad didn't want to agree, but somehow Jon has managed to convince him. We've had the right conditions for them, and after all, there were six of us. Each puppy for one of us to raise. It took us a while, but eventually dad has agreed. That's exactly how we ended up with six, fully grown up husky dogs, and the exact same one I've noticed in the shelter back then is now sitting at the bed next to me.




That said, he looked over at the not-so-small-now Grey Wind, fawning all over his best friend. Even now he could see a hint of a puppy in his eyes.

  * That's a really nice story... – Theon said – but Grey Wind is still an awfully lame name for a dog.

  * Oh, shut up! - Robb snapped, throwing a pillow at his friend out of spite.




That's when a loud knock has interrupted them. As Robb turned around, he noticed no one else but Sansa standing in the doorway, accompanied by her beloved husky, Lady. The boy easily recognized his mum's pearl necklace, currently dangling from the redhead's neck, and the light blue dress which the girl was urged to put on only on the most important occasions. Apparently, Theon's arrival was an occasion like that.

  * Boys, the dinner's ready – she said with a level of pathos so high that Robb couldn't resist chuckling a little bit at her.




In fact, her voice right now really reminded him of the tone her mother used when welcoming Theon to their house. Still, compared to mrs. Stark, it sounded almost like a caricature of the woman. Sansa didn't seem to notice it, though. She stood in the doorway with her head raised high. Purely technically, she was speaking to her brother, but every now and then her eyes would glance back towards Theon. Robb knew that look. The “I think I've finally found my knight in shining armour” look. He's been living with Sansa for nine years straight now. He knew the girl better than his own hand. Still, he didn't have enough heart to tell her that her dream boy is... well, Theon Greyjoy.

  * We'll join you in a minute – Robb replied. - Thank you, Sans.




The girl didn't reply. She just left the room, of course first having snuck one more glance towards the boy before evacuating herself towards the dining room.

  * Is it just me or... - Theon began as the girl left, only to be interrupted by his best friend.

  * Don't even count on it!




Even by the Starks' standards, the family dinner that day was easily one of the most awkward dinners ever. With Sansa making gooey eyes at him from behind the table, mrs. Stark hellbent on being seen as the perfect housewife and Jon being Jon, Theon has basically been surrounded by Robb's crazy family members. However, the Slytherin didn't really seem to care that much as he happily munched down on the seconds (or rather thirds, in his case) of the boy's world famous roast goose, unaware of everyone looking at him. After all, Theon was a pretty small guy. Where did he even fit all of that?

  * Thif if weally goob – he said with mouth full of meat. - Weally.

  * I'm glad to hear that – mrs. Stark replied with a slightly forced smile, in spite of the boy's lack of manners.

  * I have helped to make it – Sansa added quickly, with a blissful smile on her face.




Robb's mum has always been rather strict about the way her children eat. She always urged them not to chew their food to loudly and to always use the cutlery. That's why you could see the woman was less then pleased with the sight of Theon's hands, all greasy from eating.

  * Mum – Arya butted it – can I eat using my hands like Theon?

  * Arya – the woman just growled loudly, letting her gaze down.




Only then did Theon realize his faux pas, reaching over for the hand wipe with a bright blush on his face. Robb smiled watching him do so. Even with the usual amount of chaos, it was nice to see Theon come and shake things up a little bit more.

  * I'm sorry – the Slytherin said shyly.

  * No, it's okay – mr. Stark replied calmly. - You're the guest here. You can eat however you only want to.



  * It's just that – he began – I've never really gotten around to eat stuff like that before.

  * You've never eaten a roasted goose before? - mrs. Stark asked surprised.

  * Not really – the boy replied. - I mean, maybe when I was much younger. See, my family lives near the shore... right by the shore, actually, so my father knows a lot of fishermen. Our dinner usually consists of some sort of fried fish, unless he doesn't want to cook anything. Then it's either a pack of crisps or canned food.



  * That sounds awful – Robb remarked.




Even as a huge fan of all kinds of food, the boy was rather disgusted at the thought of living on canned food for what might've been years.

  * Meh – Theon replied, unfazed by his friend's reaction – it's not that bad once you get used to it. Besides, sometimes Yara would cook something as well. She's quite a good cook, actually. You should try her pasta someday.

  * I would love to try her pasta someday – Sansa replied dreamily from behind the table, prompting a weird look from her younger sister (and rest of the Starks as well).




Then came the silence. The only thing that could be heard was the tapping of cutlery against the bottom of the plates. Robb hated moments like that. They were always so awkward. Still, he had no idea what to do to break the silence, so he would be sentenced to sitting like that, doing nothing until someone else decides to do it for him. This time, luckily, it was his father.

  * So – he said – how is your Quidditch team doing, Robb?

  * It's fine – Robb replied, feeling rather uncomfortable with the question.




After all, despite technically being a part of the team, he still didn't really have the chance to play yet. Robb's dad also used to play Quidditch at school, even sharing the same position as his son. The boy knew how excited he must've been about his son making the team. Still, so far, he has barely even had the chance to take a sit on his broom. It looked like it would be a long time until he is allowed to play with rest of his teammates.

  * Have you won anything yet? - the man asked curiously.

  * Yes – the boy nodded his head in response – actually, we've beaten the Ravenclaws, 220 to 40.



  * That's amazing! - mr. Stark exclaimed, visibly impressed with the score.




If only Robb had anything to do with it.

  * Wait – Arya butted in, once more – so you've actually played on the pitch with rest of the players?



  * Well...




Hearing that, the girl just replied with a quick “oh” and retuned to stabbing the piece of meat on her plate with a fork, all interest in the story gone.

  * I'm the substitute, though – Robb added quickly, trying to defend what's left of his honour. - The first in line, actually. I'm telling you, as soon as something goes wrong...

  * Robb – the boy's father interrupted him – it's fine. You're only in your second grade. I haven't even played until I've reached the third. I'm sure that next year you will make it onto the main team.

  * Yeah – he nodded his head sadly – I hope so.




There was another moment of silence, this one much longer and even more awkward, but this time it wasn't mr. Stark who has decided to put an end to it.

  * Arya, say something – Sansa whispered onto the girl's ear, nudging her encouragingly.




Ever since the beginning of the dinner, she's been trying to make her younger sister her gossip partner, whispering something about Theon into her ear every minute. You could clearly see Arya was having none of it as, instead of helping out the redhead, she smiled and turned her gaze specifically towards the Slytherin.

  * Theon – she began – has Robb already told you about the time Sansa locked herself in the toilet in our school and cried because she couldn't get out?

  * ARYA! - the poor girl yelled out as all of the girls' brothers have burst out laughing at her younger sister's comment, unable to control themselves.




Suffice to say, if Arya has already been going to Hogwarts, Ramsay wouldn't even dare to look at any of them.

  * Dad, may I help you with the cleaning up? - Robb asked as the dinner was already over.




There was some sort of an unspoken agreement between his parents that if one of them has made the dinner, the other one dis the cleaning up. Mr Stark was usually good at fulfilling his duties, unless his work didn't allow him to come home early. Still, seeing the man whose presence alone would be enough to intimidate even the worst criminals, wearing a washed-out pink apron with “BEST COOK” written on it, scrubbing the dirty frying pans was a rather funny experience. After all, you might be the best auror in the world, but even you won't escape the cruel fate of cleaning the dishes after the dinner. He didn't look scary at all, right now. He wasn't Eddard Stark – the auror. He was Eddard Stark – Robb's dad.

  * No, you don't have to – he replied softly. - Get back to Theon. I bet you two have better things to do than spending time with an old man like me.

  * Actually, Theon told me he was going to take a shower – Robb said – so I think I have a few spare minutes to spend time with you.




The man didn't reply, but Robb took his silence as a silent consent. He pulled out the chair, and sat there, watching his father try to deal with overburnt food waste. In all honesty, this might have been ever harder to do than taking care of the dark wizards nowadays.

  * So – the boy said eventually – what do you think of Theon? Do you like him?

  * He seems like a nice kid – mr. Stark replied, without turning away from the dishes. - I'm glad you've found yourself a friend like that.

  * I'm glad to hear that – Robb muttered, something clearly bothering him.

  * Is something wrong? - the man reacted quickly.

  * No, it's nothing. It's just that... he-he told me about what happened to his brothers. I know it was you who have led the chase back then.




Hearing that, the man let go of the plate he was desperately trying to clean out and turned around to face his son. The look on his face didn't show anger or exasperation that Robb was worried he would see in response. Quite the contrary, hiss expression revealed genuine sympathy but also something which kind of resembled embarrassment. How could the same man be the dark wizards' worst nightmare, when right now he was looking like a slightly overgrown puppy?

  * Robb, that night was one of the worst nights in my entire career as an auror – the man said with a serious tone to his voice. - Watching those Greyjoy boys die in an explosion... it was... hard.




Robb was surprised at how emotionally his father reacted to this. It seemed like the memory was still very much vivid inside of his mind. Wasn't he a world famous auror? Wasn't he dealing with thousands of cases like that?

  * You know – he continued – uncle Benjen has accompanied me during that action. That was actually the reason he has left his job and become an explorer. It was just too hard for him to bear.

  * Wasn't it too much for you to bear? - Robb asked.

  * At first, it was. Actually, I've even thought of leaving. Sometimes I still think of leaving and finding myself a normal job. Still, after a month had passed, it has all gone back to normal. Still, even nowadays, sometimes I think about all that has happened that night. Maybe, if we have arrived a little bit later...




There he stopped, but it was clear what he's been trying to sayy. “If we have arrived a little bit later, maybe Theon's brothers would still be alive.”

  * When I've found out these two had younger siblings, I've almost gotten myself into depression. Thanks to the action I've led, those two poor kids have been left with no one but their father, and I knew for ure that Balon Greyjoy was not a good man. Still, seeing that Theon has grown up to be a decent man makes me feel a little better. I'm sorry we didn't let you invite him in here earlier. Maybe I was simply too afraid of how he'd react when he sees me? I'm sorry, Robb.

  * It's okay, dad – the boy replied. - I understand.

  * I'm glad the two of you are friends – the man said with a warm smile on his face.

  * So am I.




When Robb opened the door to his room, Theon has already been waiting for him on the boy's bed, Grey Wind laying right by his side. It was surprising how quickly the dog has gotten used to him as usually he was rather wary of strangers. The Slytherin boy, however, seemed to have gained his trust right from the very first second he has laid his eyes upon him. There was a mattress laying on the floor, right in front of the bed, where Robb was going to spend the night. After all, he couldn't just let his best friend sleep on the floor, especially after the hell he's been through because of that awful couch in the Slytherin common room.

  * So – he began – what do you think of my family?

  * They're giving me the creeps – Theon replied half-seriously.

  * Yeah, I'm sorry for then – Robb said as he sat down next to the boy. - I've asked them to be nice towards you, but they didn't listen.

  * Robb, I was just joking – the Slytherin said, surprised by the apology. - They've all been very kind towards me... well, besides Jon, but I don't really care about him anyways.

  * So you aren't mad at me? - the brown-haired boy asked reassuringly.

  * God, Robb, why would I be mad at you? Your family is great. Just be glad I didn't take you to meet my family. I mean, you remember Euron from last year, don't you?




Yeah, it was rather hard to forget the sight of him. The first time Robb has seen Euron, he has almost wet his pants.

  * You may have a point there – Robb replied.

  * Your dad was very nice to me.




The boy looked over at his friend, pleasantly surprised by the comment. After all, it was not his mother or Arya or even Grey Wind he was the most worried about, but his father. He was the one who has led the action which Theon's brothers have died in. It was good to hear that, somehow, he has come around to like him.

  * Yeah– the boy said with a smile on his face – he's a really nice person.

  * I'm glad to hear that.




Despite the day being particularly exhausting for both of them, both physically and mentally, the boys have only come around to sleep somewhere around 3 a.m. Most of the night they've spent talking, mostly about what would happen in the next few months of Hogwarts. After all, they still had the end-of-therm exams and two more Quidditch matches awaiting them. Robb didn't have much hope for the latter, but, for some reason, Theon was sure he would get to play at least once before the year has ended. Even Jon has payed them a visit once, leaving half an hour later because he has gotten into another argument with the Slytherin. It was a while before the boys have eventually decided to turn off the lights and try to fall asleep.

Still, just an hour later, Robb woke up panting, plagued by the nightmares. He's been dealing with them for some time already. The worst part was that he could never remind himself of what was so terrifying about them. All he remembered when he woke up was the bloodcurdling feeling of fear and the burning pain inside of his chest. Nothing else.

  * Robb? - he heard someone mumble out from behind his back.




As he turned around, he noticed Theon looking right at him from the bed, squinting his eyes to see the boy better.

  * Sorry – Robb replied. - It was just a a bad dream. Go back to sleep.




However, instead of doing just that, the Slytherin remained in the same position of few more seconds, before he sighed and raised the corner of a duvet he has been sleeping under.

  * Get in – he said.




Any other time Robb would've been rather surprised by the offer, especially considering that Theon has never really been the most affectionate type. This time, however, partially due to how sleepy he was, he quickly jumped onto the bed, curling up right behind his best friend, before finally dozing off.

This time no nightmares have bothered the young Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm really sorry for the delay, but I'm honestly so busy and overworked right now that I simply didn't find the time to check the chapter earlier. In fact, I still have the entire 1860-1914 time period to cram for the tommorow's history test, so I won't even try to make this note too long. I just really hope that you've enjoyed the Stark-mas and seeing Theon interact with the rest of the Stark family. This was very fun to write and I hope I'll get the chance to write another Stark-centric chapter soon enough. Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas... it's barely December but whatever, All I Want For Christmas is storming the charts already. It might as well be.
> 
> Next week: Talisa might want to have a word or two with Robb...


	14. Girl Problems

Making oneself back at home at Hogwarts after ten days spent on nothing but singing Christmas carols with your family and having fun in the snow was definitely hard, but not impossible. In fact, it was actually easier to do so than during Robb's first year. Back then, Hogwarts still seemed to be some kind of fever dream that the boy had yet to wake up from. The Christmas break seemed to be this sort of awakening. For a while Robb felt like it was all but a dream and as the holidays have ended he would go back to his old, boring Muggle school. Still, it didn't happen. Robb came back to Hogwarts, got into some trouble with the headmistress and ended up getting publically embarrassed in front of everyone, but enough about last year. Let's talk about this year, which seemed way more fortunate in comparison for the time being. As it's been said before, going back to Hogwarts wasn't that much of a shock to Robb as he expected. In the span of three days, it was like the holiday break has never even happened. Everything remained the same: each morning he would have breakfast with rest of the squad, attend a few lessons, go practise in the pitch in the evening and then spend some more time with Theon. The last activity was, of course, Robb's personal favorite. In fact, if there was one thing which has changed after this Christmas, it was their relationship. It's not like they haven't been attached by the hip before, but now the two of them have been even closer to each other than before.

  * Cuddling to each other at night does that to people – Jon joked, reminding himself of the time he caught the boys sleeping together.

  * Shut up, Jon – Theon snapped back, clearly flustered at the mention of such incident. - At least _someone_ would like to share a bed with me. You will remain bitter and lonely forever.

  * Don't worry – the raven-haired boy replied – I'll be fine. In fact, one day I might hire you as a full-time bed warmer, seeing how much Robb has enjoyed your services.




The boy had no idea when did his little brother get so sharp-tongued, but he couldn't deny he enjoyed seeing Theon turn brick red all over his face, trying to come up with a good comeback, before giving up and turning away, muttering something under his nose. Did anything else worth mentioning happen in those couple of days since Robb has returned to Hogwarts? Oh, apparently, Robb's mother has really enjoyed the gift from professor Baelish. Apparently. At least that's what the boy has told when the man asked about it. He looked so happy as he heard that. Little did he know that his precious little gift was probably laying somewhere in the middle of a random scottish moor no one has even heard of, without any chances of it being found. Truth be told, Robb did kind of regret throwing the necklace out the window. After all, it was draconite. A really rare and probably very expensive gemstone. It might've come in handy in future. Still, it goes without saying that no price was worth seeing his mother walking around with that thing professor Sleazeball has given her around her neck. Maybe it for the best that it got lost?

Besides that, not much has happened ever since Robb got back to school. Not that it was a bad thing. The boy knew by now that if something important was about to happen to him, it was most likely going to have negative consequences. He would've always chosen the boring, casual life of a Hogwarts student over a disastrous albeit a spectacular year like the last one was. In fact, the sudden stability seemed to be helping Robb a lot with his personal life. The relationship between him and his roommates was almost fully restored by now as he would often find himself spending his free time with either Podrick or Wendel. Only Torrhen seemed to be still holding some kind of grudge against the boy, but even there things didn't seem that bad. After all, seeing each other every evening during practice sessions was enough to make them both learn how to coexist peacefully. Even the rest of the team seemed to be slowly warming up to Robb as, by now, the boys was able to casually strike up a small talk with not only Loras but also Rakharo, Irri or one time, even with Harrion Karstark himself. Of course, it wasn't much, but one day, as he was sitting near the younger Hufflepuff, he said.

  * It's cold today, huh?

  * What-uh-oh... yeah, very – Robb replied, surprised by the comment.




Still, even with Harrion Karstark of all people speaking to Robb, there was one more problem Robb couldn't seem to overcome. A problem which caused many great men to fall in the past. More precisely – a girl problem.

Suffice to say, Robb was quite familiar with the fact that Talisa Maegyr has been on the lookout for him ever since before the Christmas break. In fact, once he even had the unique chance to run away from the conversation the two of them were about to have. For some it might have seemed downright pathetic how afraid Robb was of having a talk with the girl. After all, the girl was barely twelve years old and so skinny that one might have to worry about her being blown away by the gusts of winter wind. On the other hand, it's not like the conversation between them was going to be pleasant in any way. After all, it was not only about the incident in the Great Hall. It was going to be the first time Robb has had a full conversation with Talisa ever since Ramsay exposed him in front of the entire school for lying to his parents about the sorting. There was no denying it was going to be double as much awkward as a normal serious talk would be. After all, burping into someone's face was one thing. Lying to someone for nine full months and _then_ burping in his face was something else. To be honest, why did Talisa even want to talk with him so much?

That was the question Robb couldn't find the right answer to. Why would Talisa want to speak someone who told nothing but lies straight into her face and then... well, did what he did in the Great Hall (it took a lot of effort to make him specify what exactly happened there.) What even was the conversation between them going to look like? What was the purpose behind it? Was she going to yell at him for embarrassing her publically? Or maybe she was going to make fun of him? _“Hey, Robbie, that's a nice show you had put on in the Great Hall!”_ No, that didn't seem like her. That was what Ramsay would do. What would Talisa do? Forgive him? Tell him they can be friends again? Oh, come on. Not after what happened in the Great Hall. She surely must've been utterly disgusted by him. There was no way Talisa would still want to be friends with him.

That's exactly why Robb was so surprised when one day he noticed her standing outside the Great Hall, having a seemingly friendly chat with Theon Greyjoy of all people she could be having a chat with. Theon freaking Greyjoy. Robb couldn't deny his heard dropped out of his chest as he saw that. Talisa Maegyr and Theon Greyjoy. What could the two of them even be talking about? The only thing the two of them had in common was... well, Robb. They must've been talking about him. Hoping to remain unnoticed, Robb hid behind the nearest corner, peaking out from behind it every once in a while to check on what was going on. Not so long afterwards, Talisa headed off away from the Great Hall, first having nodded her head and sent a warm smile towards the Slytherin. Seeing as the girl was already far away, Robb peaked out from behind the corner and walked over towards Theon. They boy turned his head towards him immediately almost as if he knew the Hufflepuff was hiding there with a knowing smirk.

  * Have you been talking to Talisa Maegyr? - the brown-haired boy asked.

  * Why are you even asking? – his friend replied. - I've seen you watching us from behind the corner.




Crap, what if Talisa has seen him too? She must've thought he was some crazy stalker or something like that.

  * Anyways – Theon continued – yes, I've had a very interesting conversation with your ex-girlfriend.

  * And? - Robb asked, not even responding to the blond's jibe. - What did she say?

  * She asked if you and I are still close to which I replied “yes”. Then she said something about how long it's been since the two of you have spoken and told me about how once you've ran away when she was trying to talk to you. I've said that I know, because you've told me about it and that I find it kind of hilarious. In the end, she just asked me to talk to you about her and convince you to talk to her. Also, she told me not to tell you about anything she told me, but I guess I've already failed on that part of the promise.




Convince him to talk to her? Was it really so important to her that she decided to ask Theon of all people for help? It made no sense. He lied to her. He humiliated her. He... he burped into her freaking face. How come she even wanted to talk to him?

  * And what about the other part of the promise? - Robb asked. - Are you going to try and convince me to talk to her?

  * Well – the Slytherin replied – that's what I would do.

  * Theon-

  * What? I'm in the right here. What's the worst thing that could happen?




It didn't take Robb too long to think of a reply.

  * I could _burp into her face_ for example!

  * Stop mentioning it! – Theon replied, slightly annoyed with his friend's attitude. - Everyone has forgotten about it by now. It happened, it was the hot topic for a week or two and then it disappeared. Besides, would you stop being friends with me if I burped into your face right now?




Robb quickly shook his head, sure of his response. After all, how could he be so shallow to write off his entire friendship with Theon for such a stupid reason?

  * No – he replied – I wouldn't.

  * Then why would Talisa?

  * It's different with her – Robb argued.

  * Why?




The boy didn't reply, not sure of what to say. He really hated when Theon was right.

  * Look – the Slytherin began – I may not know Talisa as well as you do, but I don't think she's the kind of person to drop you because of something as stupid as what happened in the Great Hall. She really cares about you. I saw it back when we got into a fight with Ramsay on the corridor in the first grade, and I saw it today, when she asked me about you. You both deserve a chance to talk things over with each other.

  * I know – Robb replied. - I will talk to her, really. It's just... maybe not today.

  * It's your life – Theon said. - You can talk to her whenever you want. Just know that she's not going to wait forever.




Robb knew it very well. In fact, he was rather mad at himself over how much of a coward he's become. His first goal while in Hogwarts was to make up with all of his friends, Talisa in particular, and when finally the perfect opportunity has finally appeared on his way, he has done absolutely nothing about it. He resented it, yet, at the same time, he didn't feel like changing it. After all, talking to Talisa after all this time would require him to tackle a lot of things which he wanted to leave in the past. Still, if he wanted to give their friendship one more chance, he needed to get over himself, sooner or later and do it. For now, however, “maybe not today” seemed like a good resolution to his problem.

It was hard to describe Robb's feelings towards the Herbology lessons. They were quite okay. Nowhere as interesting as Defence Against the Dark Arts or Transfiguration but still better than History of Magic or Potions. He didn't fathom much hate towards the Bouncing Bulbs and Fanged Geraniums of the world, yet it was never easy for him to stay focused on them for a longer time. After all, what's Wormwood when you could be learning how to fight werewolves or how to turn into a lion? Robb's Herbology grades weren't really bad, but it took him a lot of time to be able to pass the exam... and then, of course, there was also a case of the teacher – the eccentric yet charismatic professor Olenna Tyrell. Now, of course the elderly woman was nowhere near professor Baelish's level of obnoxiousness. As a matter of fact, she was rather well liked amongst the students. Still, there was a reason why people called her “the Queen of Thorns”. When Robb first met her, nothing seemed to foreshadow that this sweet old lady might actually be school's most sharp-tongued person. Seriously, he could only imagine how a conversation between her and headmistress Arryn would look like. His poor aunt would be left without a single word to say.

By now, most of his class has at some point been publically humiliated by the woman in front of everyone else. Of course, no one seemed to mind as it was obvious the woman wasn't trying to be rude. She simply had a specific sense of humor; one Robb knew very well thanks to his close association with her grandson – Loras. It surprised him when he finally put two and two together and realized that the two of them were related to each other, but with both his uncle and aunt working at Hogwarts, the boy was in no place to talk about the nepotism in school. Anyways, Robb's rather average grades have resulted in one unexpected upside as he didn't manage to make himself nearly enough visible to get noticed by the Queen of Thorns during the lesson, and having heard her usual quick-witted remarks towards his roommates (besides Torrhen; he always had a special kind of sigh reserved only for him), he preferred for it to stay that way. To be honest, all through his second year he has consecutively managed to succeed at remaining unnoticed lesson after lesson. While his friends would often end up being referred to as “knuckleheads” or “sloppy-brains”, Robb was pretty sure professor Tyrell wasn't aware of the fact that someone like him even exists... all this, until after one Herbology lesson, the boy has made one huge mistake.

  * Robb – Wendel asked as the boys have been well on their way back to the dormitory – is that a hoe in your hand?




Indeed, as the boy looked down, he noticed the gardening tool gripped tightly in his right hand. Somehow he must've forgotten to put it back after digging up the Mandrakes. If it was only possible, Robb might've started to hate these little bastards even more than he did before. After all, now he must've gone back to the greenhouse to return the hand-hoe, which also meant the inevitable meeting with professor Tyrell, who would most likely give him a solid slating for being so thoughtless. It may have seemed hilarious how scared the boy was of the woman, but he was more than fine with the teacher not noticing him during the lessons. He didn't want that to change. He didn't need to be singled out by her during every single lesson like Torrhen or Podrick were. That's what Potions lessons were for. He didn't need to become any more noticeable.

However, as Robb has reached the Greenhouse Three, he found the place surprisingly empty. No sight of the wicked-humored woman anywhere nearby. That was his chance. Maybe if he hurried up and put the hand-hoe back, he would make it in time before professor Tyrell returns and finds him there. So he did just than and headed out towards the entrance as quickly as he could. However, just as he thought he would remain unnoticed, he heard a feminine voice coming from behind him.

  * Looking for something?




Robb turned around, surprised to stumble upon anyone as the room seemed empty before, only to notice a fairly familiar face peaking out from the back room. It was Margaery, professor Tyrell's granddaughter and Loras's younger sister. Clearly she must've been helping her grandma out in the greenhouse after the lessons. The thing was, meeting Margaery wasn't any less awkward than meeting professor Tyrell herself. Obviously, Robb didn't know the girl that well. He has only spoken to her once in the Hogwarts Express on the first day of school and never again since then. Of course, he'd notice her rather often as she strutted down the corridor with her fellow Slytherin first-years, but he has never engaged into a full conversation with her again. Still, despite the fact that Margaery seemed like a rather nice girl so far, there was something about her eyes which always managed to send shivers down his spine. He had no idea what it was, but he couldn't help but feel some sort of respect towards the girl, even considering their age gap. Surely she's been taking after her grandmother when it comes to that.

  * Me? - Robb replied, visibly surprised by the fact he got caught. - No, I've just... been... um...




He had no idea why he was stuttering like that. It's not like there was anything he should've lied about. However, the way Margaery looked at him, with one of her eyebrows quirked suspiciously, was enough to turn him into a bumbling idiot.

  * Yeah? - she said encouragingly.

  * I-I've just come to return the hand-hoe – the boy finally managed to stutter out. - I forgot to leave it here after the lessons, so I had to bring it back here.




The girl crossed her arms on her tiny chest, taking a closer look at the brown-haired boy, before a smile appeared on her face and all the tension surrounding them has gone down.

  * I see... – she said. - You're free to go now, Stark.




Hearing that, the boy just nodded his head shyly and quickly headed off towards the exit, hoping that maybe he could still manage to escape before professor Tyrell comes in and labels him as a “knucklehead”. However, it seemed like his conversation with Margaery has not ended yet as he heard the younger girl call his name from behind him.

  * Yes? - he asked as he turned around to face her.

  * Are you alright? You seem kind of down today.




That question has surprised Robb. He didn't think his looks might cause any suspicion. After all, considering his usual amount of luck, he's been doing really well today. Of course, he was still thinking about the weird situation between him and Talisa, but he wasn't that worried about it. Was he?

  * No, it's okay – the brown-haired boy replied, smiling warmly, not to give Margaery anything to worry about. - It's just that there is this one thing on my mind that I don't really know what to do about, but it's nothing you should be worried about. Overall, I'm fine. Really.




The Slytherin, however, still didn't seem too convinced by his explanations as she made her closer towards Robb with a sympathetic smile.

  * What kind of thing it is? - she asked. - Maybe I could help?




If her eyes were anything to go by, the girl seemed way too intelligent for her age. Robb was starting to wonder if maybe that was some sort of family trademark like the Greyjoys' cheeky smirk or Starks'... messiness? Loudness? It was hard to say. There were a lot of traits the Stark children had in common, and most of them involved different aspects of chaos.

  * I really don't think you could – he said. - Besides, it's nothing interesting, actually. Girl problems and stuff.

  * Well – Margaery replied – maybe then you'd like to ask for an advice from the representative of the opposite gender?

  * No offense, but what would an eleven-year old would know about stuff like that?

  * No offense, but how much more would a twelve-year old know about stuff like that?




The girl smiled, completely aware of the fact that she was winning the discussion. She really was too clever for her age.

  * Okay – the Hufflepuff began with a sigh – I can tell you if you want to hear it, but don't expect anything spectacular. Really, it's nothing interesting.

  * Allow me to be the judge of it – his companion said encouragingly.




Suddenly Robb felt like he was beginning to like Loras's little sister.

  * You know Talisa Maegyr, don't you?

  * Yeah, I do – the Slytherin replied. - She's really pretty. Do you like her?

  * No, I mean, no, but- um... it is not important to the story – the boy stopped as he noticed Margaery laughing at him. - Anyways, Loras already told you about the whole pretending-to-be-a-Gryffindor thing. See, my housemates haven't been too happy to find out about it. Ever since then, they've stopped talking to me at all. Only now did I manage to regain the trust of some of them, but I still didn't get the chance to talk to Talisa. I mean, I did try to find the courage and talk to her few times, but when I did... well, you probably know what happened by now.

  * Loras told me – the girl said, hanging her head low in shame as couldn't refrain from snickering quietly. - So, what happened next? Did you talk to her since then.

  * I didn't – Robb replied – but she tried to talk to me a few times.

  * And what did you do?

  * ...run away.




Margaery narrowed her eyes at him, almost as if she wanted to ask him “are you kidding me?” Robb couldn't really blame her for that. It really wasn't one of his bravest moments.

  * Why? - the girl asked. - I thought you wanted to get back in touch with her.

  * I did.

  * Then why didn't you?

  * Because... - Robb said, but he didn't finish.




To be honest, he didn't even have to. The message was clear. He was too afraid to do it. Somehow, it all started to look like it did last year, when he was too scared to reveal the truth about the Sorting Ceremony to his parents. Robb really thought he got rid of his cowardice after that had happened, but so far it looked like he was wrong. After all, there he was, talking with a first-year in the greenhouse number three about a girl he used to like, but didn't even talk to because he was too afraid of what might happen when he does. What a loser.

  * I'm being a coward – he asked after a brief moment of silence – am I not?

  * No Robb – Margaery replied, her face taking a warmer, more sympathetic look – you're not a coward. You're just... a little bit more sensitive. That's all. It's not a bad thing.

  * It _is_ a bad thing – the Hufflepuff said. - Maybe if I wasn't like that, I wouldn't have a problem talking to Talisa?

  * You're probably right, but maybe if you weren't like that, then Talisa wouldn't care about you the way she does.




That said, she came closer to Robb, only few inches separating her chest from his and grabbed the boy by his shoulders. She noticed how flustered he was by her proximity, which only seemed to give her even more confidence. Only now did he notice how beautiful the girl's eyes were, the rays of sun coming into the greenhouse through the glass ceiling making them shine like precious gemstones; sapphire or lightly blue tinted diamonds.

  * Come on, Robb – the girl said. - How much longer are you going to keep her waiting?




Truth be told, that wasn't a thing Robb has thought of yet. Whenever an occasion to talk to Talisa would come around, he would always say “not today” or “someday”, but when exactly was “someday?” Besides, he's never considered that while he was trying to delay the conversation the two of them were about to have so desperately, the girl might've been anxiously waiting for that moment to come. He didn't want to make her feel bad. Actually, the whole point of him avoiding her was not to make her feel uncomfortable around him. He didn't expect that what Talisa might have wanted from him was quite the opposite. Maybe Margaery was right? Maybe he really should talk things over with Talisa? After all, what was the worst thing that could happen?... Don't answer.

  * I'm going to talk to her – the boy said suddenly, now fully convinced of the plan.

  * What? - Margaery asked, surprised by the boy's sudden change of mind. - Like, right now?

  * Yeah, why not? - Robb replied. - It's better for me to do it now before I chicken out and lose the chance.

  * Wait, you can't just go to her like that – the hazel-haired girl said, almost as if it was a matter of life and death. - You need something like, I don't know, like a gift, just so that she knows you're being serious. Something like... hm...




Then the girl snapped her fingers loudly and smiled brightly as she came up with a realization.

  * Got it! - she exclaimed and then disappeared into the back room.




Few seconds later she returned with a triumphant smirk, holding in her hands a single rose. The petals of it were generally red-colored, but towards their tips they've reached a brownish, almost golden hue. There was no denying that Margaery has most likely picked the prettiest flower out of all present in the greenhouse.

  * Here – she said, passing the flower to Robb. – Give it to her as soon as you see her.

  * A-are you sure that wouldn't be too much? - the boy asked shyly. - I really wouldn't want it to get awkward for her.

  * It won't get awkward – the Slytherin replied - I can promise you that. Besides, girls like flowers. Don't you forget about it.




That said she winked at the brown-haired boy encouragingly and extended her arm to give him the flower. Still, right as he was about to take it from her, he heard the door slamming right behind him and then footsteps following right towards where they've been standing. There was no doubt about who the person who entered the greenhouse was.

  * Margaery? Mr. Stark? - professor Tyrell asked, looking at the scene in front of her in surprise.




Yeah, there was no denying that it must've seemed like a rather ambiguous situation from her perspective, with Margaery offering him the flower and all that. The girl, however, didn't seem too flustered as she turned around to the Herbology teacher without a hint of fear.

  * Grandmother – she said, taking a look at the older woman – Robb and I were just having a conversation. He came here because he forgot to put away the hand-hoe he was using during the lesson. Quite a funny story, isn't it?

  * It is funny – the teacher replied with a knowing smirk.




Indeed, it seemed like professor Tyrell has been rather amused, but surely it's been less thanks to the story itself than to Robb's flustered expression. Wait, did she really think that he and Margaery have been... up to something together? No, that was simply not true. Well, he did gush over her eyes for few seconds or so, he couldn't deny it, but nothing has happened between the two of them. Still, it looked like trying to convince the woman otherwise would've been fruitless. Great. All he wanted to do was to remain unnoticed by the woman, and now she was going to view him as her granddaughter's potential love interest forever. That definitely was not Robb's intention. That's exactly why Robb stumbled out a few excuses and then headed out the Greenhouse Three as quickly as possible, clutching the golden-tipped rose tight in his hand.

  * Good luck with your problem – he heard Margaery say from behind him.




Good luck, indeed. He was going to need a whole lot of it.

It wasn't too hard to find Talisa. After the lessons have ended, as per usual, she has been spending her free time with Bethany in the common room. There she was. Barely few feet away from him. After this whole time, finally was he going to make amends with the girl... wait, was he? It was easy to make such a decision while in the greenhouse with Margaery, but now he was standing right next to her. Suddenly he could feel his heartbeat getting a little bit faster and his lips quivering out of control. He knew he was about to do something stupid. He always felt like that before something big has happened: the letter, the race, that goddamn thing in the Great Hall, et cetera. However, he also knew he couldn't chicken out now. He knew that if he doesn't do it now, then he might never find the courage to do it again. He needed to do it. Right now. He took a deep breath, doing his best to slow the beating of his heart down, gripped the flower tight in his hand and then moved forward, towards where the girls have been sitting. Bethany was the first to notice him, immediately alerting her best friend of the boy's presence with a quick shoulder to the girl's side. Talisa turned around immediately and fixed her deep brown eyes on his face. It's been a while since Robb had the chance to look right into them. Each second seemed to be an hour. As he was walking, he was desperately trying to come up with a good way to start the conversation, not finding a single one he'd deem appropriate. Luckily, the girl has decided to put him out of his misery by starting it herself.

  * Robb, what are you doing in here?

  * Theon told me that you wanted to talk to me, so here I am – Robb replied. - Hi, Bethany.




The dark-haired girl nodded her head with a smile, seemingly amused by the spectacle.

  * Well, yeah – Talisa said in response. - I did.

  * So - Robb began, not sure how to handle the conversation anymore – would you like to... like, now?

  * Yeah – the girl replied – if you want to.




There was a moment of silence before any of them continued. It seemed to be an equally awkward conversation for both of them, which came as a good thing to Robb. At least he knew the girl wouldn't pay too much attention if he did something stupid as she would be worried about doing well herself. Honestly, the only person who seemed to be entirely comfortable with the situation was Bethany. The Hufflepuff girl didn't even try to hide her interest in how the story unfolds between these two as she continued gawking at them. This, on the other hand, wasn't much help to the boy.

  * Maybe we should... - he began, pointing his fingers towards the exit.

  * That's a good idea – Talisa answered.

  * Great, let's go then.




Yeah, it definitely was uncomfortable. Still, so far Robb has been showing no signs of nausea or stomachache, so this conversation could've been considered a success. As the door slammed close behind them, cutting off Bethany's curious glances, he ended up alone, face to face with Talisa, who gazed into him in anticipation. What was he supposed to do now? What should he say to her?

  * So... how have you been doing recently?




Nailed it!

  * Great – the girl replied quickly – and how about you?

  * I'm fine.




Somehow, those words have put a somber smile on Talisa's face. Robb didn't really know why the girl reacted this way. His life really wasn't so bad right now. Talisa, however, seemed to think otherwise. Was he really so pathetic, that people automatically assumed he was feeling miserable?

  * Robb – she said – I'm worried about you.

  * Why? - the boy asked.

  * Look, I've talked to Theon. I know that it's been hard for you these couple months.

  * Well, maybe you're right – the boy replied, following with a cheerful smile – but it's much better now. Besides, I know I've deserved all of it. I've been a real jerk to you, guys.

  * Maybe you're right, but that doesn't make me feel any less guilty – Talisa said. - I know you've been trying your best to make up for what you've done, and I really shouldn't have been so harsh on you. I'm sorry, Robb.




Robb's bright blue eyes widened in surprise as he heard the girl's words. She's sorry? What could she possibly be sorry for? For reacting like every single other normal person would? For taking offense in one of her friends thinking of her and her housemates as nothing more than a bunch of losers? It made zero sense to him.

  * You're sorry?! - Robb asked, the surprise evident in his voice. - For what?! You have nothing to be sorry about! I'm the one that should be apologizing to you! Not the other way around! I've lied to you! I've basically called you a loser! God, I've basically humiliated you and our house in front of the entire school! How come you are the one apologizing to me?!



  * You're being way to harsh on yourself, Robb – the girl said as her friend has calmed down enough for her to begin. - We all have already forgiven you for it. I mean, Torrhen is still being all grumpy about it, but you know him. He's being as overdramatic as always. I mean, look at Podrick and Wendel. It's like nothing has ever happened between the two of you. We've already forgiven you? Why can't you just do the same and forgive yourself?

  * I... I don't know - Robb replied hesitantly.

  * And why didn't you want to talk to me about it?! - Talisa asked in a slightly accusatory tone. - We could've worked it all out a long time ago. Why didn't you?

  * I did – the boy explained himself. - I wanted to talk to you, back then in the Great Hall. I was really nervous, but I've decided that maybe I should and I did, and then... well...

  * Ramsay - Talisa's dark eyes flickered spitefully as she spelled out the Slytherin's name. - Am I right?




The answer was obvious, but Robb did not reply. He just stood there, his gaze fixed on the tip of his shoes, not even looking into the girl's eyes as she spoke. He couldn't bear the thought of her even thinking of what happened in the Great Hall. It was just so embarrassing to him, and maybe also to her. After all, she was the one he has burped into the face of. This must've affected her somehow. Honestly, the boy was surprised she was even able to talk to him after that happened.

  * Robb – Talisa continued – I get that you must be really embarrassed about the thing in the Great Hall, but you can't let that win over you. It happened, it was awful, but it's over. No one besides you even remembers about it by now.

  * Ramsay does – the boy replied quickly.

  * Since when do you even care about what he thinks? You have so many great friends in here. You have Theon; you have Podrick; you have Wendel. You have me, Robb. You can't worry so much about what this jerk or anyone else thinks about you. Besides, I don't think it was that bad.




Robb didn't say anything, but his look seemed to indicate he thinks otherwise. Does he really have to explain it one more time? He has belched straight into her face? How could people in here possibly not understand how disgusting it was?

  * I mean, I get it. The whole burping part might've not been too pleasant, but your reaction to it was rather... cute. Like, you have that one expression. Your eyes go all wide, you start biting your lip, you get red all over your face... it's actually quite adorable if you think about it.




Robb couldn't help but feel surprised by the statement, but not even because he couldn't imagine Talisa thinking of him like that. It's because he's already heard someone say something like that. Nearly word for word. Who would've thought Theon was right about this one? Robb couldn't even be pissed off about the “cute” comment as he was so happy with how the things have turned out.

  * So, you're not mad at me anymore?

  * Not at all – the girl shook her head in response.




Robb let the air out of his lungs with a loud huff, visibly relieved by how the talk went down. He wiped the sweat of his forehead and smiled happily at the girl.

  * Now that's a relief – he said. - I thought it would be worse.

  * See? - the girl replied with a chuckle. - It wasn't that scary.




Robb liked when Talisa smiled. She looked so carefree as she did. Usually, she seemed really collected and mature for a twelve-year-old, but she was like a whole other person when she smiled. Not any more or less pretty. Just different.

  * Is this... - the girl asked, pointing at the rose Robb was holding in his hand.

  * Oh, yes – the Hufflepuff replied, suddenly reminding himself of it. - This is for you. I forgot about it completely.

  * It's beautiful.

  * I know, isn't it? - the boy said, mentally thanking Margaery for coming up with the idea.

  * Where did you get it from? - Talisa asked as she put the flower to her nose and smelling it.

  * Let's just say I have a few friends in the right places.




The girl chuckled slightly, not expecting the fake suave tone in his voice. Honestly, it surprised Robb as well. When exactly did he get so smooth with the ladies?

  * You never fail to amaze me, Robb Stark – Talisa said, moving the flower closer to her nose, so that she could get a whiff of it. - It smells incredible. I'd better put it into the water. Wouldn't want it to wilt overnight.




She headed off towards the door leading to the common room, but not before she turned around to take a look at her friend one more time. Her dark eyes flickered kindly in the light. Robb really missed the sight of that.

  * I'm really glad it's over – she remarked.

  * Yeah – Robb replied. - So am I.




The girl smiled once more, and with that, she was gone. Robb, however, continued to stare into the empty space where she used to stand as though she was still there. It took him at least a minute to collect his thoughts and realize he's been gaping at the closed door for a good while now. Thankfully no one else was around, because he might've thought that the mess of his first year at Hogwarts has really costed the poor boy loss of his sanity. Still, if that was how insanity felt, Robb didn't want to be sane anymore. He just couldn't believe that it was all it took to get Talisa back on his good side. What was he even so afraid of in the first place? He felt dumb now that he reminded himself of it. He could've done it a long time ago. It would've spared him a lot of stressful situations. Still, he wasn't sure if he'd like it to happen any other way. It just felt like the perfect closure, which has happened at the perfect time. Now, with Talisa back on his side, everything seemed to be going fine for him. Maybe it was the high time to stop worrying so much about what the future held against him. He had no control over things to come, but so far it seemed to be working out just fine for him. It was beginning to look like Robb's dog days might finally be coming to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone!
> 
> Yeah, I know I've been missing in action for like three weeks and I'm sorry for that, but I really haven't been prepared for quite how crazy this year might be. You need to know that it's my last year of high school so I'm preparing for final exams and so far things are looking bad... like, really, really bad. There's still so much I have to learn and the time is running out. Of course, instead of helping us out, 95% of the teachers I'm dealing with would rather help us cross some subjects of our final exams list than help us get ready for them, and quite honestly I've had it with this fucking year. Of course, this has also taken toll on the story, since ever since last month I'm struggling to finish chapter 2 of the third part of TRSC, so this one will surely take much more time. However, even with me being both physically and psychically exhausted from this year (seriously, it's bad), this story is FAR FROM OVER, considering that it's probably the first thing I've ever done which I didn't start hating in a year's time (after all, next week is the one year anniversary of me putting up the first chapter), so you can still expect semi-regular updates from me. To those of you who still put up with me, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
> 
> Also, I'll be posting the next chapter in a minute to make up for the absence, so you'll be eating good today.


	15. Sweetheart

With March around the corner, the nature of the Scottish highlands where the Hogwarts castle was placed seemed to be finally coming back to life after a long winter period. All traces of snow, which was basically omnipresent throughout he past few months have been gone by now. Each day, while waking up, the students could listen to the joyful sound of birds chirping happily right outside their windows. Even the ever-murderous Whomping Willow seemed to be joining on the spring mood with small green leaves slowly starting to cover its branches. The sudden rise in temperatures has forced a few changes on the students' clothing, namely the switch from warm winter scarves to the usual striped ties tied tightly around their necks. This saddened Robb as over the course of those three months, he has found himself weirdly attached to the thing. Weird. He never liked it. He hated it. Still, he was amongst one of the last students to willingly switch out their attire for one way better suited for the new atmospheric conditions.

Surprisingly, nature wasn't the only thing which seemed to benefit from the spring boost of optimism. Robb couldn't deny that those past two or three weeks have been surprisingly successful for him when it comes to his social life. Of course, most of this could've easily been attributed to a certain dark-haired Hufflepuff girl making her way back into the boy's life. Robb has always been aware that Talisa has had a huge impact on his life at Hogwarts. After all, she was one of the first people the boy has met in here, one of his first true friends and maybe, but only maybe, even his first official crush. Robb still wasn't sure about this one. Of course, he couldn't deny the butterflies which appeared inside of his stomach every single time he saw the girl, yet he couldn't quite stop seeing her as anything more than Talisa – his friend. A friend like Podrick or Wendel or Theon. He didn't want to take her on romantic dates to the Wooden Bridge so that they could watch the sun go down together or some other stupid stuff couples do. He just wanted to spend more time with her, alone or in company of their friends. Friends. That's what this lecture has been heading towards.

One more upside to him and Talisa being friends again was that Bethany, her best friend, has also started to appear near Robb way more often. The girls have been pretty much of a joint deal. If Talisa was somewhere, then Bethany was most likely somewhere near as well. Now, why was this so important to Robb? See, with both Bethany and Talisa back on his good side, the boy has almost rounded out the tally of his past group of friends, who he's been trying so desperately to get back ever since last year. After all, Podrick and Wendel have already forgiven him. So did Talisa, but only recently did Robb find the courage to talk to her about it. With Bethany back into their little group, Robb's path to redemption has been nearly completed. Nearly, because the only person who Robb had yet to talk to was Torrhen, who sadly, didn't seem to eager to have any kind of conversation with the brown-haired Hufflepuff. In his defence, Torrhen did have a lot of things on his mind recently. Day of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team's second match has been approaching swiftly, so captain Tarth had decided to increase the hours of training, especially for those playing in the main team. Torrhen was the youngest of them all, so far, which meant he needed a lot of practice to keep up with his older teammates, including his far more physically prepared brother. It's no surprise the boy has been acting so drearily recently, especially taking into account the fact that a treacherous ex-friend has found his way back to the group of his best friends, and there was nothing he could do about it. In conclusion, it wasn't the best idea to talk to Torrhen right now. His quiet approval was all Robb needed at the moment.

  * Wow – Theon said once, impressed with the sudden upgrade in his best friend's social status – don't you forget about me when you get all your old friends back.




Robb let out a slight chuckle, clearly feeling uncomfortable with the boy's comment. Of course, the Slytherin has only been joking. It was evident in his tone of speaking. Still, Robb couldn't help but wonder if the revival of his friendship with Talisa and the rest of Hufflepuff didn't have a negative impact on his friendship with Theon. After all, he couldn't deny he's been spending a lot of time with them recently. Could Theon be feeling cast aside by him? That was the last thing he wanted. As happy as he was that he managed to regain his housemates' trust, it was Theon who was his best friend. The first Robb has ever had. He couldn't just leave him for someone else after all that they've been through together. He could only hope Theon knew how much their friendship meant to him. He didn't want him thinking he picked Talisa over him.

Still, excluding that little detail, Robb's life has become surprisingly problem-free over the past few weeks. For a moment he was even getting worried he might actually get to end this school year without it ending in a public humiliation for him. For a moment. Nothing lasts forever and neither did Robb's lucky streak. And all because of a stupid dragonstone necklace.

How exactly did Robb happen to find it simply laying in the drawer of his night stand? He had no idea. He lost his track of mind completely as he saw it there. After all, he did remember pretty well him chucking it out of the Hogwarts Express window. He used to think that by now the necklace must've been laying somewhere in the middle of the desolated scottish moors without a chance of getting found by anyone. He used to think so, until he saw it in his own bedroom, patiently waiting for it to be found. How did it even get here? Did professor Baelish know that the boy didn't give it to his mother? It wasn't that far away from the truth as Robb was fully convinced by now that his Potions teacher was some kind of omnipotent being, who could see everything and knew everything. However, the thought of him wandering around the moors searching for some stupid necklace was highly unlikely. Besides, Robb doubted that the teacher wouldn't make an allusion to it if such thing happened. So how did the necklace get in there?

  * How?

  * What?




As Robb raised his head from above the plate, he noticed Theon looking right at him with a surprised look on his face. He forgot completely that he was having dinner with his best friend in the Great Hall. He couldn't help it. Ever since he found it that morning, the whole necklace thing simply could not leave his mind.

  * Sorry – the boy apologized. - I must've got lost in my thoughts again.

  * What are you thinking of then? - Theon asked, taking a bite of the chicken wing.

  * Nothing in particular.




Of course, he lied. Technically, he didn't mind the Slytherin knowing about it, but explaining it all to him would've been quite a chore to Robb, so he has decided to stay quiet. He just hoped Theon wouldn't be able to tell he's lying.

  * You're up to something – the blond said.




Robb really needed to perfect his lying game.

  * Why do you think so? - he asked.

  * You have that look on your face – Theon explained. - You know which one. The _“I'm about to d something that will get me kicked out of school”_ look.




Robb had no idea which look his friend was talking about, but it's not the first time someone has mentioned it around him. One day he really needed to ask Theon for further details on it.

  * Well, you're wrong – the curly-haired Hufflepuff replied and then returned to eating in quiet.



  * Robb – Theon said just a few seconds later – whatever it is, please, do _not_ do anything stupid. You know Arryn's on a witch hunt for you, and she won't stop at nothing to kick you out of Hogwarts.



  * I know, you don't have to be worried about anything. I'm not going to do anything stupid.




These words seemed to have calmed the boy down as he nodded his head and resumed eating, knowing that nothing bad was going to happen to his friend. However, not even a minute has passed before Robb has raised himself from his seat and headed off out of the Great Hall.

  * Now excuse me – he said – but I have to do something.




Theon just sighed in response as he watched his friend head off to do something that will most likely end up with him being sent back home for breaking the school's guidelines. Who would've thought one would see the day Theon acts as a straight man to Robb's antics?

Part of Robb simply could not believe he has single-handedly chosen to visit professor Baelish and ask him about the necklace. He didn't even have an idea how should he approach him about it. _“Professor Baelish, I've chucked out your gift to my mother out of the train window and now it's back. How?”_ If he actually did that, he could be fairly sure he won't pass his Potions exam this year. Still, he couldn't help but wonder how did the necklace end up back with him. Was it some sort of spell? Was it the stone itself? How did it end up back in his drawer? He was so curious, he honestly didn't mind marching up to his despised teacher and personally asking him about it. Still, Robb's enthusiasm has simmered down a little bit as he noticed the door of the man's office half-open. Professor Baelish did not trust anyone besides himself. There was no way he hasn't locked them when going out. This could've only meant one thing. The man was not alone in there.

  * Sweetheart – Robb heard someone say from behind the closed door. - I truly don't think that this is the right time to do it, honestly-




He had no doubts that the person speaking was professor Baelish. Still, the “sweetheart” part had him rather intrigued. Did professor Baelish have someone? A girlfriend? A fiancée? Maybe even a wife? Truth be told, Robb has never asked himself such question. Professor Baelish has just never seemed to him a type to be able to be in a relationship with another human being. If he actually had a wife once, he would've most likely sold her already to pay off his debts or something like that. Now, however, he was alone in his office with someone he has dubbed his “sweetheart.” All the curiosity Robb felt before has returned in full force. He couldn't even care less about the necklace right now. All he wanted to know was who was professor Baelish's “sweetheart.”

  * When is the better time to do it then? - a female voice said in a breathy, velvety tone. - I haven't seen you in so long. Am I not even allowed to kiss you right now?




Something about this voice has provided Robb with goosebumps all over his skin, even though he couldn't quite remind himself of where did he recognize it from. One thing was for sure. Professor Baelish “sweetheart” was someone he has met already.

  * No, it's not about that – professor Baelish said. - The door aren't locked. Someone could see us.

  * Don't be silly, Petyr – the woman replied. - Who could possibly see us in here?




Robb couldn't help but smile a bit hearing that. Well, how about a nosey second-year?

  * After all, it is my school now. If someone has a problem with us, I can always get rid of him.




“My school?” Wait, it didn't make sense. The only person in charge of the school has been his aunt and there was no way she would be in here doing...

The smile has disappeared from the boy's face fully, instead replaced by the look of sudden realization. Did his aunt and professor Baelish have a... a... no! No! It couldn't be! After all, aunt Lysa has lost her husband only a year ago. There was no way she and professor Baelish would...

  * I know, Lysa – the Potions teacher said. - It's just that I'd rather you didn't fire anyone because of it.




No, this could not be true. Professor Baelish must've meant another Lysa, because there was no way he was speaking of Robb's aunt, the headmistress of Hogwarts – Lysa. Having taken a deep breath, Robb took a quiet step in the direction of the small creak in the door and looked inside of the office. Unfortunately, he wasn't right. Inside of the room, resting his back on the desk was professor Baelish, partially obscured from Robb's view by the redheaded woman, leaning all over his body in a suggestive manner. Indeed, it was his aunt.

  * You'd rather I didn't fire anyone – the woman asked seductively, moving her face closer to the man. - Wasn't that all that our plan was all about? Me firing someone so you could get your sweet, sweet revenge?

  * I mean, yes – the Potions teacher replied, clearly uncomfortable with the situation – but we have to wait for it a little while longer. In the meantime, it wouldn't hurt us if we tried not to reveal ourselves in front of everyone.

  * You're way too concerned about what the other people say, Petyr – headmistress Arryn said, her hands caressing the man's face. - You look like you could use some relax. I could help you with that.




That said, she moved her face closer to the man's ear and half-whispered into it, loud enough so that anyone eavesdropping on them could easily hear her.

  * You might've realized it by now, but I'm quite much of a screamer – she said, pulling him into a passionate kiss.




Robb couldn't help but gasp hearing his aunt's words. He didn't know why exactly would she be warning professor Baelish about it, but he knew that it definitely wasn't something a person his age should be watching. Quickly he took a step backwards, not to see anymore of whatever was happening in that office, which he regretted immediately as he noticed the Potions teacher turn his gaze towards the door. He must've heard him. Robb wasn't sure if he has been noticed, but he knew one thing. He needed to get out of here as quickly as possible.

  * What is it, honey? - he managed to hear the woman say as he tiptoed his way out of the corridor, not wanting to be seen by any of them.




He's heard what aunt Lysa said. “ _If someone has a problem with us, I can always get rid of him.”_ Robb didn't want the woman to get rid of him. He liked studying at Hogwarts just fine. A problem with it, however, he did have. People like aunt Lysa and professor Baelish were not the kind of people who should engage in a relationship with another person, let alone a relationship with each other. How did the two of them even end up together. What did they see in each other? With Baelish, Robb could at least understand what one might see in him. As sleazy as he was, no one could deny his intelligence. Besides, some women just have the type for sleazy guys like him. He guessed his aunt was also one of them. But what about her? What did professor Baelish see in her? Maybe headmistress Arryn wasn't by any means ugly, but she wasn't that beautiful either. It wouldn't be a problem if she had a good personality. Something she has clearly lacked in. What did he find attractive about her? Her bitterness? Her short temper? Her loose screw? So panicked Robb was by the sight of two of them together, he barely even noticed when he knocked over someone as he was running through the hallway. Someone way smaller than him.

Of course, of all people in Hogwarts, professor Lannister was the one Robb would run into.

  * Professor Lannister – the boy said in a shaky voice – I-I'm so sorry. I didn't see you.




The teacher raised himself off the floor and having dusted off his shoulders, took a look at Robb. He didn't seem too pleased by the run-in.

  * Mr Stark – he began with a scolding tone – could you explain me what in the world were you-




However, his words came to a halt as he noticed to obvious fear in the boy's eyes. The teacher's face has immediately changed from stern and unforgiving to truly worried.

  * Mr Stark, are you alright?

  * What?! - Robb replied, way more loudly than he expected. - Me? O-of course I'm alright. W-why are you asking?




Not even a bit calmer, the tiny man took a glance in the direction which the boy was running from, and not having noticed anything out of ordinary, he turned to face the boy once more.

  * Mr Stark, could you follow into the office with me right now? - he asked.

  * Sure – Robb replied.




Right into the fire. Well, at least he managed to escape professor Arryn's wrath. Now he only had professor Lannister to deal with, which may have not been such a good thing either. Theon was right about one thing. He really was going to get kicked out of the school today.

During his one-and-half year at Hogwarts, Robb has only had the chance to visit three of the teacher's offices, each one far different from each other. Professor Baelish's one was located in the dungeons, near the Potions classroom. It was cold and highly unpleasant. Robb could compare it to a museum, where every single thing had its rightful place from which it couldn't be moved. It was so sterile and... inhuman, even. Professor Arryn's office, on the other hand, was way more pleasant (or rather would've been if not for the woman's presence.) It was large and spacious, decorated with shiny ebony furniture, with the fireplace adding more warmth to it. Technically speaking, it was most likely one of prettier places in the entire castle. Still, not matter how beautiful it was; you could always feel the air of professor Arryn's smug superiority when inside of it. Robb's personal favorite office, however, was surely his uncle's one. It was the smallest out of all mentioned before, but also the cosiest of them all, no matter how much of random expedition equipment was left laying all over the room. That office was also the one which Robb has found the most similar to professor Lannister's one, mainly due to the messiness of it. It seemed like the house elves have long forgotten about this place. It wasn't entirely unwelcoming, but clearly no one has taken care of that place in a long time.

  * Have a seat, mr. Stark – the teacher said, gesturing towards the free chair opposite his desk.




The boy didn't do it, clearly feeling a bit overwhelmed about the situation. It was hard to blame him, though. After all, he did just find out that professor Baelish, his despised teacher, was having an affair with his aunt... who he despised even more than Baelish. The Tranfiguration teacher noticed the boy was feeling rather uncomfortable, so he repeated his request.

  * Come on, there is nothing to be afraid of. Have a seat.




Hearing that, the boy did just as he was asked to do, while professor Lannister walked over towards the chest of drawers standing on the other side of the office. Right next to it stood a tiny stool. The man has stepped right onto it, so that he could reach the top of the furniture. Right on top of it stood a plethora of different kinds of glasses, wine-cups and bottles, most of which have been filled with multicoloured liquids of varied density. From the first sight it did kind of remind Robb of the school's potions storage, where he used to help Baelish last year. These liquids, however, might've had more in common with his mum's lemon and honey tincture than a random solution they would brew during the lessons.

  * Want something to drink? - the teacher asked. - I have wine, I have whisky, I have...

  * I don't drink – Robb replied quickly.

  * Of course, you don't – professor Lannister said in a moment of realization. - You're twelve, for God's sake.




The man himself, however, didn't seem to spare himself the pleasure coming from the alcohol as he took the tiny crystal flask filled with a translucent golden liquid inside of his hand and took a large gulp of it, then taking a seat opposite Robb, without saying a thing.

  * Professor Lannister – Robb began, slightly bewildered by how unceremoniously his Transfiguration teacher has started drinking right next to his student – am I in trouble?

  * What? - the man replied. - Oh, no. Don't worry about it. It could've happened to anyone.




Still, Robb couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed by the whole incident. After all, it wasn't any random teacher he has happened to knock over. Professor Lannister was a dwarf. Robb wasn't very heavy himself, yet he was afraid he might've accidentally squashed the poor man under the sheer weight of his body. Luckily, that didn't happen or the boy would've found himself in an even worse situation than the one he was already in.

  * Then why did you ask me to come? - the boy asked.

  * See – the dwarf said, taking one more sip off the crystal flask – I consider your uncle to be one of my closest friends at Hogwarts. He truly is a great man. I really admire his knowledge. I also happened to have crossed paths a few times while in the Ministry with you father – Eddard Stark. Suffice to say he's doing a very good job as an auror. Clearly he's amongst the best. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I consider both of them highly important figures in the wizarding society. Actually, I see a little bit of both of them in you, Robb. May I call you by your first name?




The boy nodded his head in response. If it was professor Baelish who has asked him such question, he would surely say “no.” Professor Lannister, however, seemed trustworthy enough for Robb to let him use his first name.

  * Thank you. As I've said before, I do see a bit of them in you. After all, you're easily one of the most talented students amongst your classmates. You surely must've inherited some of the talent after your father.

  * I'm not _that_ talented – the Hufflepuff agued, flustered by the amount of praise the teacher was giving him.

  * Don't be so humble – the man said. - Transfiguration is a tough subject, and you have been dealing with it perfectly so far. I've also heard you've joined your house's Quidditch team. Am I right?

  * Yes, I did – Robb replied – but I didn't get to play yet.

  * There's nothing to worry about – by now the flask has been rendered half-empty. - Rarely do they let the youngsters onto the main team. Your friend Torrhen is a lucky one. He's really talented with the broom too. Enough about him, though. Let's talk about you.

  * Me?

  * Yes, you – the teacher said. - I've been watching you very carefully for quite some time now and I don't know if I'm right, I may be wrong, but I've noticed you've been looking rather bleak recently. I've just wanted to ask you if everything's okay.




Truth be told, Robb did notice the man has been paying more attention to him recently during the Transfiguation lessons. Quite often he'd happen to catch professor Lannister staring at him from behind his desk, to which he would always react by moving his gaze away from him as quickly as possible. At least he had enough decency not to blatantly continue doing it, unlike one other teacher, who was probably busy sticking his long tongue up his aunt's throat. Shudder.

  * Everything's fine – the boy replied – really. I'm doing well.

  * Alright, then – professor Lannister said with a smile. - I'm glad to hear it.




Still, as he said that, he looked around the apartment as if to check if anyone was listening to his words and leaned over the table closer to Robb.

  * Just in case, however, remember that there's always someone you could ask for help. Look, I know you've gotten into some trouble with that Bolton asshole last year. I don't blame you. If I could, I would knock the living shit out of this little brat.




The teacher's words have quite surprised Robb... well, it's not like he couldn't agree with him on that one. If only he had the guarantee that he wouldn't get kicked out of Hogwarts in immediate notice, he'd do it himself. Still, regardless of the feelings towards their students, Robb imagined that teacher would be way more careful with voicing their opinions. He couldn't decide if professor Lannister's sudden honesty was just a thing of his personality or the golden liquid was simply starting to get to his head.

  * Also – he continued – I know that Arryn can be quite a bitch. Trust me, I work with her. I would know. Still, Arryn's not the only teacher in this school. There are many people in here, like your uncle or me, who you could always turn to if you ever needed help, Robb. Just don't be afraid to ask.

  * Thank you, professor – Robb replied to which the man reacted with a quick nod and one more sip from the bottle.




He really did mean it. He was thankful to professor Lannister. Even considering the rather unpleasant circumstances of the meeting, it was good to hear that there still was somebody on his side, especially now that he has stumbled upon two of his biggest enemies at Hogwarts making out in the office. Still, he felt like too many things have happened over the past fifteen minutes for him to just sit in here and pretend like everything was okay.

  * May I go now? - Robb asked shyly, not wanting to upset the teacher. - I've promised my friend I'd get back to him as soon as I can.

  * Sure – the teacher said in response – that's all I've wanted to tell you. You're free to go now. Still, there was one more question bothering Robb, and when was a better time to ask it than right now?

  * Professor Lannister?

  * Yes?

  * What does a “screamer” mean?

  * A “screamer”?

  * Yes, as in someone is a “screamer.” What does it mean?




Hearing that, the man sighed deeply, moving his gaze away from the boy, and took yet another sip of the golden liquid.

  * It means I'm definitely not drunk enough to explain it to you...




As Robb left professor Lannister's office, however, he didn't feel any better than he did before falling onto him in the hallway. The teacher's kind words, as heartwarming as they were, were not much of a help in this situation. He was right. He had uncle Benjen; he had professor Lannister; he had all of his friends, but he also had Ramsay, Arryn and Baelish all on his neck. The fact that he's seen the latter two of them kissing each other passionately in the office also wasn't a good sign. How could such thing even happen? However, it wasn't the kissing itself which got Robb the most worried. The headmistress's words couldn't quite seem to leave his head. _“...so you could get your sweet, sweet revenge?”_ Who did he want to get revenge on? Robb? Was he in danger? Or what exactly did professor Baelish mean by revenge? Was he planning to hurt somebody? Torture? Kill? Nothing seemed to be off the board here. Should he care so much about it? Maybe he should just forget about it and stop worrying? What the two of them were about to do was their business. It probably didn't even involve Robb in any way, so why should he care? On the other hand, it's not like he had a lot of other things to focus on.

  * Robb!




Or maybe he did?

As the boy turned around, he noticed his younger brother running straight towards him, with Samwell following near behind, face all red from having to follow his friend all the way here. Suffice to say the Ravenclaw wasn't the most athletic of the first-years. By the looks of it, the dark-haired boy had something important to say. Rarely did Robb have the chance to see him so excited over anything, and mind you, he's been living with him for twelve years straight now.

  * Robb, there you are – he said as he made his way towards the Hufflepuff. - I've been searching everywhere for you. I've been in the Great Hall, the schoolgrounds, even the bathrooms. I've even asked Theon about you, but he said he didn't have a clue what you're up to this time around... is everything okay?




It seemed like Jon has finally noticed something was off about his older brother. Well, it was hard to blame him seeing what he's been through in the past few minutes. He really felt like talking to someone about it would make him feel better, and Jon has always been a perfect candidate for an honest conversation. Still, the situation was way too weird for Robb to think he should say anything about it just yet, so he put on his best fake smile to make sure the Gryffindor isn't too worried about him.

  * Yeah, I'm fine – he said. - Why have you been looking for me?

  * You know Daryn Hornwood, right? - Jon asked.

  * Of course, I do – the Hufflepuff replied. - We're on the Quidditch team together. What about him?

  * I've been told he's gotten into a huge fight with one of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team guys this morning – Sam added, still panting slightly from the prolonged period of physical activity. - Apparently, they've cast some jinks at one another, and professor Arryn went furious over them.

  * Hornwood's basically suspended from any afterschool activities for the next two weeks – Jon added.

  * Where did you get all of it from? - Robb asked his brother.

  * My roommate told me – the boy said in response – but that's not the point. The match against the Gryffindor is only a week from now, and your team is left without a Chaser. Do you realize what it means for you?!




Well, most likely Brienne would have to find someone to substitute for him, which was rather fortunate since Robb was the first in line and... hold on! No! This couldn't be true! After all, if they needed a substitute, that must've meant that...

  * Robb, you're finally going to play!




Suddenly the romance of Robb's aunt with the Potions teacher became a thing of much lower importance.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, with the second half of the school year in full swing, I've decided to finally shed some light on the whole Arryn & Baelish thing I've been hinting at through the past fourteen chapters. First of all, yeah, Lysa and Baelish are officially a thing. I know, gross. I fully agree with Robb on that one. However, there are more important things to discuss than that, namely: who does Baelish want to get revenge on? Who was Lysa talking about when she mentioned someone being fired? Is that person one of the teachers? Are they in danger? All I can say is everything will become crystal clear by the end of the story. So far, however, we can focus on something else. Next chapter is officially Robb's first Quidditch match. That said, it's not going to be an easy win. The Hufflepuffs are facing off against Gryffindors, school's best team. Will they manage to hold their own against them? Will Robb do well on his first match? Will he manage to score any goals for his team. Make sure to find out next week... I mean, I hope so.
> 
> Most likely next week: Versus Gryffindor (or how did I even manage to write that? pt. II)


	16. Versus Gryffindor

Waiting in the changing room for ae Quidditch match which was about to start in a matter of just a few minutes was obviously a nerve wracking experience for everyone involved, from the captain to even the substitutes. It was interesting to see how different were everyone's reactions to the fact that soon they would have to get on their broomsticks and do their best representing their house. Some, like Rakharo, seemed downright ecstatic at such prospect. Others, like Irri or Torrhen were surely more anxious about what was to come. After all, it was only the boy's second official match. Only Harrion, his brother, seemed somewhat relaxed as he casually switched into his Quidditch uniform. Brienne, captain of the team, didn't really talk to anyone, instead focusing on the game. You could clearly see how hellbent on winning was she that day. Then there was Robb Stark, sitting quietly in the corner, thinking of how much screwed he was.

  * What is it, Stark? - Loras asked as he closed his locker. - Got the jitters?

  * A bit – the boy replied.




He lied. His hands were shaking so much he most likely wouldn't even be able to grab the broomstick, let alone fly it. He gripped the handle of his Tigresa tightly. He's gotten it as a Christmas present from his uncle last Christmas. It was said to be one of the best brooms in the world. Still, the quality of it was no indication of whether he'd do good in the upcoming match.

  * No need to worry – the blond said. - I'm sure you're going to do great.

  * Really?

  * I mean, I don't know – he shrugged his shoulders in response. - I've just thought it might make you feel better to hear that.




Sadly, despite Loras's best intentions, it did not. Robb was fully aware of the fact that now that he was finally going to play, he was clearly the weakest link amongst his teammates. Brienne has put a lot of effort in preparing them all for the next match, even more so than she did the previous time. After all, these weren't Ravenclaws they have been playing against but the Gryffindors, who have won the Quidditch House Cup four times in a row by now. Was this year's going to be their fifth? It was really hard to predict, especially after their lost match against Slytherin at the beginning of the year. Everyone was surprised to see the green house win, especially considering that Tormund Giantsbe has already proven himself to be a rather skilled captain last year. Some have even said that this may have been a sing of the end of Gryffindor's lucky streak. Still, it would've been a downright idiotic move to underestimate the team. Besides the aforementioned Tormund Giantsbe, they've also had Drogo and his friends playing for them, not to mention Yara – Theon's older sister. Robb didn't have the chance to see her playing last year, but if his best friend's words have been anything to go by, she was good. Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, had... well, him.

It's not that he was bad at Quidditch. If he was, then surely he wouldn't be allowed to join the team at all, let alone be their first substitute. Still, there was no denying that his teammates have not only been much more skilled than he was, but also way better prepared for what was about to happen. Ever since the first snows have started to melt, the Hufflepuff team has resumed their training sessions in full force, with specific focus placed on the main team. Robb understood why Brienne had made such decision. The second match has always taken place at the beginning of March, not leaving much time for preparations. After all, how big were the chances that something might go wrong and one of her teammates would get suspended a week before the match?

Rather large, apparently.

  * Dear teammates – Brienne began, as the entire team has already assembled, ready for the match – I'm well aware of the fact that a lot has happened during the past few days. Most notably, our Chaser, Daryn Hornwood, has been forbidden to play the match with us today, because of an incident he's gotten into with one of the Gryffindor players.

  * It is known – Irri added, nodding her head.

  * I'm not going to lie. I am very disappointed in his behaviour, especially considering how vital he's been to our team, gaining most of the points in our match against Ravenclaw. Luckily for us, Hornwood was not the only Chaser available and we've been able to find a good substitute.




There she looked over at the boy. Robb felt like everyone present in the room has been staring at him. Clearly a huge responsibility has fallen onto his shoulders. He truly hoped he wouldn't disappoint the people who have put so much trust in him.

  * Hornwood's absence surely is a huge loss for all of us – the captain continued – but that doesn't make us any less likely to win. We still have seven strong players with great skills and the spirit, which is the most important. In a few minutes, we're going to go out onto the pitch with our heads held high and do our best to win the match and make our home proud!




Rest of the teammates cheered in response, visibly uplifted by their leader's pep talk. Robb had to admit that the girl was a rather good speaker. If only that could earn them a few points for the match. Not even a minute later the door leading towards the pitch have opened, leading the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team towards the inevitable. There was no denying now. Robb was finally going to be allowed to play, for better or worse.

  * You afraid? - he heard someone say as they've been walking through the tunnel.




As he turned around, he noticed Rakharo looking right at him. Right next to him stood Irri, seemingly also interested in the boy.

  * Not afraid – Robb replied. - A little nervous, maybe.




Hearing that, the dark-haired boy smiled at him encouragingly. Rakharo has always striken Robb as a rather friendly type, yet he didn't have the chance to have a longer conversation with him. At least until now.

  * Don't worry – the Seeker said – it can't get any worse than my first match. I don't know if you have ever heard this story, but we've been playing against the Ravenclaws, and all of a sudden I've noticed a Snitch right in front of me. I've tried to catch it, but the other team's seeker has been on my tail all the time, so I've looked back at him, and when I've turned around...

  * You've flown into one of those huge stands with Hufflepuff color's on it, losing the game for your team – Irri interrupted him. - He tells this story before every single match. _It is known._




The boy looked downright pissed off that his teammate interrupted his favorite story, but he didn't say anything in response to her.

  * However – she continued – I'm sure you'll do great. You're fast. Surely you'd have no problem outspeeding the Gryffindor Chasers. Just remember, if you don't know what to do, just pass the ball to me or Captain Tarth. We'll try to help you.

  * Or – Harrion Karstark added from in front of the boys – you could always tell me which one annoys you the most, and just maybe a Bludger will happen to knock over them a few seconds later.

  * Thanks – Robb replied, unsure of what to say.

  * You're welcome – the tall blonde smiled in response.




Robb was always surprised whenever Harrion said anything to him. He was Torrhen's brother, after all, and Torrhen was the only one of his roommates who he hasn't made things right with yet. It was funny, because it seemed like he would be the easiest one to deal with. They sure were spending a lot of time together: attending lessons together, sharing a room, being on the same Quidditch team and all that stuff. Still, it was easy to underestimate the Hufflepuff's stubbornness. On that basis, Robb was fairly sure his contacts with both of the Karstark brothers would get downgraded to the bare minimum, but Harrion didn't ignore him. Actually, he has always been rather nice towards him and so was the rest of the team. Rakharo and Irri really seemed like they wanted to make friends with their new teammate, and Robb still hasn't forgotten how the boy stuck up for him against Hornwood once after the practice session. It still seemed strange to him that other Hufflepuffs would act kind to him so openly considering all that he's done. Despite all of his efforts to make things right, he still felt like he needed to constantly make up for it to others. He was really happy that his teammates were so friendly towards him. The problem was that he still couldn't really understand why.

As they've reached the entrance to the pitch, a loud sound of cheering coming from the stands has filled Robb's ears. He thought that the second time he would go through this, it wouldn't seem so impressive. He was wrong. Maybe it was because of the fact that this was the first match he was actually going to play in, but the sight of nearly two-hundred people watching him walk through the pitch was even more incredible than it was before. Through the speakers he could already hear the school's usual commentators introduce themselves to the crowd. Professor Lannister he wasn't afraid of at all. After what happened last week, they were practically best buddies. Professor Olenna, however, has still slightly intimidated him, especially after the meeting in the greenhouse. If he messed up during the match, surely she wouldn't refrain from a quick, mischievous quip in his direction. Of course, everyone knew the woman didn't mean any harm by that, and her scathing comments have often been a saving grace during a particularly boring match, but Robb still felt like he'd prefer to avoid the woman's attention.

  * Looks like you've gotten yourself quite a lot of supporters, haven't you? - Loras, who has been walking right by Robb's side all this time, said suddenly, causing the Hufflepuff to take a closer look at the stands.




From this proximity he could finally see the faces of people sitting there. However, at first he couldn't see what Loras was talking about. Just a stormy sea of blue and yellow colors. It took him a moment to notice where his friends were. At the very top of the stands, all dressed in yellow-and-black, were Podrick, Wendel, Bethany and Talisa. For the occasion, his roommates seemed to have even painted their faces in the house colors. The girls have settled for Hufflepuff scarves. Even from all the way down there, Robb couldn't miss how beautiful Talisa looked today. They were cheering loud, but surely they have been no match for the ones sitting just two rows below them.

  * Oh my God! Guys! That's him! I see him! I see him! ROBB! ROBB STARK! WOO!




Of course, the person screaming their lungs out back on the stands has been Theon, with a Hufflepuff scarf proudly wrapped around his neck. Robb remembered he has borrowed it from him this morning. As much as the green one suited him, yellow-and-black seemed to be working for him as well. To think he needn't have borrowed the scarf if he didn't ask the hat to put him into Slytherin. It would've spared them both a lot of trouble. Right next to him, as expected, were Jon and Wendel, both seemingly excited to see Robb finally get to play. Luckily, students of the school didn't mind their housemates cheering for their family members on the other houses. Otherwise, that would've made two traitors for the Stark family. That wasn't the end, however. Right next to them Robb noticed two other familiar faces. On Theon's left was Renly, also dressed in Hufflepuff memorabilia, presumably borrowed from Loras. Robb forgot that the two had been roommates for a while now, so they must've know each other pretty well. Accompanying him was Margaery, the boy's younger sister, apparently also excited to see her brother playing. Robb turned around to check on his teammate, whose face seemed to have reached a rosy color while looking at the stands. Surely he was happy to see his family and friends cheering for him from the stands, especially considering that amongst them was Renly. Robb still hasn't figured out what was it between those two, but he wasn't sure if he'd like to find out.

Meanwhile, as they were walking through the pitch, the opposite team has also gotten closer towards the middle. Finally, from here he could witness the Gryffindor team in full glory. He had to admit, surely they've carried themselves as if they were the winners. Right in front of the procession was a seventh-year, tall, with hair and a beard almost as red as his uniform. Even from here Robb could see the smirk on his face, friendly yet determined. Right behind followed Drogo with a few of his friends. His dark hair were tied into a long braid, hanging loosely right behind his back. Robb had to admit he seemed rather threatening for a fifth-year. Some say that once, for fun, someone tried to cut off his braid. No one has tried to do it since. There was also one more person Robb knew, smiling right at him from the other half of the pitch. It was Yara Greyjoy, who he happened to know quite well already.

  * Big woman – the Gryffindor captain said as the teams met in the middle of the pitch. - Glad to see you again. I was afraid I wouldn't get the chance to play with you this one last time.

  * I'm glad to see you too, Tormund – Brienne replied solemnly – and once again I would like to remind you I would prefer if you've stopped referring to me as “the big woman.”

  * Still playing hard to get, I see – the redhead replied with a joyful chuckle. - That's what I like. I see you've brought some fresh meat out for the match.




That said he took a look around the Hufflepuff players, lingering with his gaze for a while longer on Robb.

  * Yes – the tall blonde replied – I've got a few new players who I would like to try out today.

  * Well, aren't they adorable? - Tormund said in a teasing tone. - The curly-haired one is prettier than all of my sisters.




Hearing that, Robb hung his head low, embarrassed by the Gryffindor captain's statement. He wasn't just some pretty boy, after all. He wasn't even sure he could be called “pretty” at all.

  * Don't get too excited, Giantsbe – Yara added suddenly. - He's already taken. Because of him my own brother is on the stands, rooting against his own sister. Pathetic.




There she shook her head in fake outrage. Seeing how much satisfaction teasing him brought her, Robb couldn't help but reply.

  * We'll see whose the pathetic one on the pitch, Greyjoy.




For a brief moment he was afraid his comment might've started some inter-house war between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, but then he heard Tormund laugh out loud.

  * I like him – he said. - He's srappy.

  * Indeed – Yara nodded her head – my asshole of a brother has sure taught him well.




That's when sir Selmy has arrived, a heavy wooden box carried in his arms. He nodded his head quickly to the leaders of the opposite teams and opened it. Inside were four balls: one small and golden with tiny wings, two black and made of iron and one more, red and leathery. That was the Quaffle. The one he had to pay most attention to. He didn't just want to play. He wanted to actually score a few points and maybe even win for their team. Sir Selmy commanded them to sit down on their broomstick and rise up into the air. He watched his release one ball after another, starting with a Golden Snitch and following with the Bludgers.

  * It's beginning to look like an exciting match for both of the sides – he heard professor Lannister say from the commentator's booth. - Am I not right, professor Tyrell?

  * Whatever – the woman replied in her usual fashion – let's skip to the bloodbath.




Finally, sir Selmy has gripped the Quaffle tightly in his hands, looking up at the players.

  * I want this to be a good match – he said. - No fouls or dirty play. Do you understand me?

  * Yes, sir – both team captains replied.




Surely there was no need to worry about any of them lying. Both of them seemed rather responsible. Surely none of them would've liked to see any of the player's injured, whatever team they belonged to.

  * Hey, Stark! - Robb heard all of a sudden.




As he turned around, to his surprise, he noticed Torrhen Karstark looking right at him from above.

  * What? - he asked.

  * Good luck – the blond said with something resembling of a smile – I mean it.




For a split second Robb forgot that he was literally in the middle of a Quidditch match. Back in this moment, all that mattered were those five quick words Torrhen said. Maybe it wasn't that much, but it was better than nothing. He wanted to say something in return, but that's when he heard the horn go off, meaning the match has begun. He turned around, but he wasn't fast enough. By the time it took him to focus back on the game, Tormund Giantsbe had already gained the Quaffle, headed off straight towards the Hufflepuff's goal posts, followed by rest of the Chasers. Robb was the only one left behind. He took a deep breath in, leaned over his Tigresa and bolted straight towards rest of the players.

  * And... they've started! – professor Lannister said enthusiastically. - Giantsbe gets the Quaffle, he passes to Greyjoy, Greyjoy passes to Giantsbe and... doesn't score a goal, thanks to Loras Tyrell, who quickly blocked his attack.

  * Of course he did – the Herbology teacher remarked. - He's my grandson, after all.

  * The Gryffindors are back to attack... Giantsbe to Greyjoy, Greyjoy passes to Giantsbe, Giantsbe to Sørensen and... goal! Karsi Sørensen scores the first goal for Gryffindor early in the game!




Robb could only watch as the Gryffindor Chaser threw the Quaffle through one of the unguarded hoops. Loras didn't have enough time to react. The number of points switched on the board, now showing 0:10 for the Gryffindors. Luckily for them, this time they were to begin. All he had to do was not to lose the ball and let Brienne or Irri do their best. They began. Brienne passed the Quaffle to Irri. Irri passed the Quaffle to Brienne. Brienne passed the Quaffle to Irri. Irri passed the Quaffle to...

  * ...and Giantsbe takes the Quaffle.




...Stark. To his credit, he did not expect Gianstbe to just straight up charge at him and take the ball. He flew under the goal posts, lower than the other player, hoping to retrieve the ball in case it misses. It did. He was almost about to catch it, but that's when Irri grabbed it instead, and then flew off towards the Gryffindor's side. Robb followed, not wanting to miss yet another action.

  * Acharia passes to Tarth, Tarth to Acharia and... goal! Hufflepuff evens the score, ten-ten!




The boy sighed in relief hearing that. For a moment he was afraid he costed his team yet another ten points. Luckily, the girls knew how to save it for him. Still, it was evident by Brienne's face that she wasn't too pleased with his play so far.

  * Stark! - she called from nearby. - Where were you during the attack?!

  * I-I've thought that maybe if I retrieve the Quaffle...

  * Then stop thinking! – she cut him off with a threatening expression. - It won't get you anywhere! Just do something!

  * Okay – the boy replied with a scorned expression – I will.




He did feel bad about what Brienne told him. He was trying his best, after all. Still, that wasn't enough. There was a reason captain Tarth was disappointed in him. Truth be told, he was disappointed in himself as well. His first game and that was all he could show. There were people on the stands rooting for him. His teammates were rooting for him. He couldn't just let them down. Not now, after everything he's been through. He was going to do something. He was going to take the Quaffle at the very next occasion, fly straight towards the Gryffindor's goal post and score a...

  * Goal for the Gryffindor team! Tormund Giantsbe scores his first ten points in the match!

  * Stark, where are you?!




Okay, no more thinking. Just playing.

  * The Hufflepuffs begin – the Tranfiguration teacher continued. - Tarth passes to Acharia, Acharia to Tarth, Tarth passes to Stark... he catches it, passes over to Acharia and... she loses it!




Well, right now it was hard to blame her. Robb has heard that Drogo is ruthless on the pitch, but that Bludger would've surely killed Irri if she didn't dodge it. He was even about to look up and give the older boy a threatening glare, but that's when he realized: the ball wasn't in anyone's possession. He still could've saved it. He dived right in the direction of a Quaffle, but right when he was about to take it, a smudge or red-and-gold appeared out of nowhere, taking the ball with it.

  * Karsi Sørensen retrieves the ball from Hufflepuff.




Robb had little to no knowledge of who Karsi Sørensen was, but he knew one thing. The girl was clearly talented with the ball. Still, no matter how much admiration he had for her skills, he couldn't just let her score another point for the Gryffindors. That would've meant his house gaining an even bigger disadvantage than it had now. He couldn't let it happen. He had to do something and something he was going to do. He grabbed the handle of his broomstick tightly in his hands and bolted off after the girl. Luckily, his Tigresa was surely a higher-quality broom than the Shooting Star he used to fly on during his first-year at Hogwarts. Back then, he let Ramsay win and tarnish the honour of his house, but this time he surely wasn't going to let that happen.

  * Sørensen passes the ball to Gianstbe, Gianstbe passes the ball to Sørensen and... Stark retrieves the ball!




He had no idea how did he even manage to do that. He just saw the ball flying in his direction and... he just reached out for it. Right now, however, that did not matter. He knew what he had to do.

  * Starks begins the counterattack... he passes to Acharia... Acharia to Tarth... Tarth to Acharia... Acharia to Stark... Stark to Tarth and...




All he could hear was the sudden roar of the audience beneath him as he saw the number of points on the board change to reflect the newest events. They've scored a goal. They've managed to even the score. If he didn't retrieve the ball, this wouldn't happen. He was partially responsible for those ten points.

  * Stark?! - he suddenly heard Captain Tarth say from above him. - Good job! Keep it up!




Brienne didn't have to worry anymore. Robb knew what to do. For him, the match has only just begun.

The next few minutes of the game have proven that there won't be any easy winners in this game, despite everyone else's predictions. He heard many people say how Hufflepuff has basically no chances when it comes down to playing against the great Gryffindors – the best team Hogwarts has ever had. Still, by the time the twentieth minute of the game has been over, they've been leading over the lions by ten points. Seventy to sixty. Three of the goals have been scored by Acharia, while Captain Tarth has managed to earn forty points for her team. Robb, so far, hasn't managed to score any goals, but he's been doing just fine, retrieving many balls for his team. If he's been doing so well, why hasn't he scored any goals yet? To be honest, he didn't know himself. Somehow, it just didn't happen to be. Everytime his team attacked their opponent's goal hoops, he just wouldn't find himself near enough to shoot, always ending up passing the Quaffle to either Irri or Brienne.

  * Hufflepuff's new Chaser has been doing quite a good job in this match, so far – professor Lannister remarked once, after the boy retrieved a ball from Yara's hands. - He might pose a threat to mister Hornwood's place on the main team. Don't you think so?

  * He's good for a substitute – the woman replied – I'll give you that, but until he has scored at least one goal, there's no point of having this conversation.




Professor Tyrell was right. Robb knew that no matter if he does good in the match, he won't prove anything to anyone unless he actually puts the Quaffle through Gryffindor's goal post, but how was he supposed to do it? Brienne and Irri had no problem doing it, but they were miles better than he was. There was no way he could possibly score a goal on his own. Was there even a point in trying? All he could do was ruin his house's chances at winning the cup. He didn't want to risk only to cater to his own ego. All he was going to do was to help the two remaining Seekers in the attack, retrieve the ball from the other team and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

  * Hey, Stark! - he heard someone say from right behind him.




The boy turned around, expecting to see either Brienne or Irri, but instead of them, he saw Yara Greyjoy, flying over towards him on her broom. It was evident all over her that the match wasn't an easy one for the Gryffindor team. Her face was all red from the effort she put into the play, and her forehead was drenched with sweat. Still, she smiled with pride almost as if her team was leading over the Puffs by over fifty points.

  * Nice match, man – she said, as she floated over closer to the boy.

  * Thanks – Robb replied – I've been doing my best.

  * Don't be so easy on yourself – the blonde added out of nowhere. - I still haven't seen you score a single goal in our meeting. Why is that?

  * I didn't have an occasion – the boy replied defensively.

  * Oh, but of course you didn't. After all, you've only flown right by the Gryffindor goal posts about... a hundred times during this match already?




The girl clearly took a lot of pleasure in teasing Robb about it. What else did she have to do? It's not like she could fly over towards the audience and berate her little brother there. That would be against the rules.

  * You know – she continued, the usual Greyjoy smirk still on her face – I'm not sure if a guy who can't score a single goal against me in the match is good enough for my Theon.

  * I'm sorry, Yara – Robb snapped back quickly. - I'm well aware of the fact that I can't compare with the... what was it? One goal that you've scored in the game so far? I truly feel embarrassed for myself.

  * You're clever – the Gryffindor girl replied, seemingly impressed with his quick-wittedness – but there's only so far it can take you. Score a goal or go home, loser.




Still, no matter what Yara said, Robb wasn't going to let himself get provoked by her. So far, they have been doing just fine. He didn't need to score a goal. Brienne and Irri have been doing it for him. He was just making sure the ball is still in his team's possession. Why try to fix the formula if it's working?

  * Ladies and gentlemen – professor Lannister exclaimed - the twenty-fifth minute of the meeting is almost over and there's still no sign of a winner. So far, the Hufflepuffs are leading by a ten-point margin, but the Gryffindors are not going to give this one up so easily. Will they manage to keep up with their rivals? The Hufflepuffs begin.




It began without any bigger problems. Brienne passed over to Irri, Irri to Brienne, Brienne to Robb, but right as he was about to pass the ball to Brienne, suddenly a smudge of black cut through the air right between the two of them. Luckily for her, the Hufflepuff captain has managed to pull back her arm in time or else it surely would've been broken. He didn't know if it was Drogo who set the Bludger against them or if it was just an unlucky coincidence, but they've lost the ball. Robb saw it falling down towards the green down below, before it got picked up by Karsi and thrown far away towards Tormund. He saw Irri turn her broom around, trying to stop the attack. He, himself, has done the same, but none of them was fast enough. All he could do was watch as Yara throws the ball through one of the hoops and...

  * Loras Tyrell, once again, blocks the Gryffindor's attack – the dwarf teacher said enthusiastically. - The Quaffle is still in the game.




Somewhere in the back, through all the cheering and screaming from the audience, he swore he could hear Yara curse her lungs out, but that was not important at the moment. The Quaffle was still in the game. They still had the chance to set things right.

  * Stark! - he heard Irri call from the other side of the pitch.




He watched as the girl slowly thrown the Quaffle in his direction. He didn't think much. He simply passed it over to Brienne, and Brienne passed it over to him. Irri was too far in the back now. It was just the two of them.

  * Tarth to Stark, Stark to Tarth... - professor Lannister narrated.




Finally, they were close enough so that Brienne could put the Quaffle through one of the goal posts. He passed the ball to her and watched as she bolted off towards her target and with all of her force she threw it... only for it to bounce off the metal hoop and fall down towards the ground. How big were the chances of it happening twice?

  * Hufflepuffs lose the Quaffle once again! - the commentator informed. - Will they be able to get it back before the Gryffindors do?!




Without a hint of hesitation, Robb dived downwards in hopes of retrieving the ball before it falls to the ground. With the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the Gryffindor Chasers quickly making their way towards him, hoping to get to the Quaffle before he does. He couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let the Gryffindors get to the ball. He let go of his broom with one hand, truly hoping it wouldn't cost him his life, and reached out, hoping to be able to grab the ball with it. To his own surprise, he could feel the leathery texture brush against his fingers. He did it.

  * Stark! Above you!




Recognizing his teammate's voice, he threw the Quaffle up, so that Irri could obtain it from him and flew upwards to join the rest of his team. However, the Hufflepuffs problems have only begun. Irri passed the Quaffle to Brienne, who she clearly expected to score the goal right away, but the Gryffindors' defence was too strong. If she tried to shoot, Tormund, who was waiting just a few inches from her, surely would've taken the ball, and this time he wouldn't miss. She couldn't pass the ball to Irri either. The girl has already been covered by Karsi. They were in a hopeless position.

  * What now, big woman? - Tormund asked with a chuckle.




Losing by ten points surely did not ruin this guy's mood. However, that's when a new plan has arisen in Brienne's mind. After all, they weren't the only Chasers on the Hufflepuff team. With one quick glance in his direction, she threw the ball right into Robb's direction.

  * Shoot! - she yelled out as she passed it.




How could he possibly do it? The Gryffindor keeper has been covering all the goal posts with the exception of... the one on the right! He's been too busy covering Brienne! He must've thought she would try to shoot too! If he tried to throw the ball into the middle hoop, he could make it in time to block it, but if he threw it into the right one... he might've had the chance. He leaned over the handle of his broomstick, trying to gain enough speed to do that, grabbed the Quaffle in the mid-air and then, with all of his force, he threw the ball into the right goal hoop. It passed through.

  * Eighty to sixty for the Hufflepuff! - professor Lannister screamed out in excitement. - Robb Stark scores his first goal for the house!




All Robb could hear was the sudden uproar at the stands. There were people cheering in excitement, blowing the air-horns (most likely obtained in an illegal way since headmistress Arryn banned them from Hogwarts; “they make my head hurt,” she said,) and screaming out his name. Yes, his name. Robb Stark. This time it was no illusion. They were screaming his name, just like they did when Brienne scored, when Irri scored, when Tormund, Yara, Karsi or anyone else did so. He truly managed to do it. He scored his first goal ever.

  * Good job, Stark – Irri said as she flew past the boy. - Maybe we'd end up keeping you for the next match?

  * That's a maybe – Brienne cut her short. - Let's not let our guard down. The match is still far from over. Gryffindors won't let us take this one so easily. Better get ready.




She was right. They might've ben losing by twenty points, but Tormund's team was not going to give up so easily. During the next five minutes, theywould've almost scored three more goals for their house if it was not for Loras's defence skills and the Karstark brothers' quick intervention. As much as he enjoyed Quidditch, Robb hoped that soon enough the Golden Snitch would appear somewhere near Rakharo and finally end the match. Still, the flying jerk was nowhere to be seen, unlike Tormund Giantsbe, who seemed to have suddenly multiplied. He was everywhere. Up in the air, down below the others, by the Hufflepuff's side, by the Gryffindor's side... simply everywhere. Gingers seemed to have that kind of power to themselves. Robb's aunt Lysa also seemed to pop up everywhere she wasn't needed: uncle Benjen's office, his nightmares, professor Baelish's mouth... okay, enough about aunt Lysa. Let's focus on the game.

  * Alright – Brienne said to her teammates – at this point there's no chance of sneaking anywhere towards the Gryffindor's goal posts. They're going to attack until their very last breath. It's just what they do. What we need to do is protect ourselves and wait for the right opportunity to come along. Robb? Irri? Do you understand me?




Both Chasers nodded their heads quickly in response.

  * Very well – the blond replied. - Here they come.




Indeed, on the horizon Robb noticed a storm of red and gold heading his way. While not as fast as the Hufflepuff chasers, fury of the Gryffindor team has truly been an impressive sight. At times like that you could clearly see why they were considered the best single team amongst the other houses. Even when losing by twenty points, they would still come across as if they were the winners. None of them were going to let the Hufflepuffs win without a fight. As a matter of fact, they seemed even more hellbent on winning than they were at the beginning. All Robb could hope for was to hear professor Lannister's voice saying that Rakharo has finally caught the Golden Snitch, putting an end to their misery. Otherwise, they were screwed.

  * The Gryffindors begin the attack – the Transfiguration teacher said. - Giantsbe... he passes to Sørensen, Gianstbe again; Gianstbe passes to Greyjoy and...




Robb barely even managed to notice a Bludger making its way towards the girl. He wanted to scream, warn Yara of the danger. She might've been playing on the opposite team, but she was still her best friend's sister. He couldn't let anything happen to her. Luckily, the tragedy was avoided as the girl looked up right in time to notice the Bludger flying towards her and ducked quickly, losing the Quaffle in the process.

  * Damn it! - Robb could hear her swear in anger.




The Hufflepuff was fairly sure he could see Yara looking up, only to see Harrion Karstark send a flirty wink her way and fly away from the scene of crime. Suffice to say, she wasn't too pleased with such turn of events.

Robb immediately glided down to get to the Quaffle before the other team could do so, but by the time he got there, Irri has already taken it and thrown it to Brienne on the other side of the pitch.

  * Tarth takes the Quaffle – Robb could hear professor Lannister say from the stands. - Will Hufflepuff manage to further their advantage over the Gryffindors?




He sure hoped so. Judging by their rivals' aggressive gameplay, additional ten points wouldn't have hurt them. Tormund has already set off, trying to reclaim the Quaffle from Brienne, but Robb managed to pop up next to her just in time to take it from her, and as he did that, bolted off towards the Gryffindor's side of the pitch, hoping to score yet another goal for his house. The time, however, didn't seem to be working in his favour.

  * It looks like the Hufflepuff Seeker seems to have noticed the Snitch – the commentator remarked suddenly.




He should've expected that the Golden Snitch might pop up as soon as he finally gets the chance to prove himself again. Still, it was not about him anymore. It was about his team. About his house. There was still a lot of time left before Rakharo catches the ball, just enough for the Gryffindors to score two more goals and equal the score. It wasn't the end of the match yet.

That's exactly when he noticed it coming his way. Good one-hundred and fifty pounds of iron getting closer to his face with each passing second at an alarming speed. Who said Quidditch was a safe game? There was no time to duck. All Robb could do was close his eyes, clench his teeth and brace for the impact... which never came. As he opened his eyes, he noticed the ball flying far away into the above, sent away by Torrhen Karstark's bat. He wasn't sure if it was because of him narrowly escaping death or his old friend protecting him from the Bludger, but it took him a few seconds to get over the shock.

  * Robb! – he heard Irri yell from behind him. - Pass the Quaffle!




Indeed, as he turned around, the girl was there to take the ball from him. He took one more look at Torrhen, aware of the fact that the time is running out, and flew off to help the rest of his housemates. With the corner of his eye, he noticed Rakharo, in his yellow robes, chasing the Golden Snitch around the entire pitch, followed closely by the red-clad Seeker of the opposite team. What if it's him who gets to the ball first? What if, despite all their efforts, the Gryffindors win anyway? It couldn't happen. He had to do something, but what?

Irri passed the ball over to Brienne, who then, in return, passed it back to the girl. Everything was in her hands now. If she actually managed to score one more single goal for her house, the Gryffindors would be left too far behind to be able to rebound. They could actually have the chance to win. All she needed to do was to gain those ten additional points for her house. Robb watched her gain momentum, as she approached the rivals' territory, and then throw the Quaffle, which flew all the way towards the middle hoop. Unfortunately, her shot got quickly defended by the Gryffindors' Keeper, and the ball quickly bounced off right into the hands of Yara Greyjoy. It was over. There was nothing else they could do. No matter how quick their brooms were, they were too far to be able to go back to their side of the pitch in time. By now, Loras must've been tired from the Gryffindors' constant onslaught on the Hufflepuff goal hoops. Yara would pass the ball over to Karsi, who would score another goal for the Gryffindor, bringing down his team's lead over them back to ten points. The situation seemed to be hopeless for the Puffs... unless...

Granted, Robb wasn't far enough so he could outspeed the Gryffindor Chasers, but he could always try and interrupt their attack. That's why, right as Yara threw the Quaffle in Karsi's direction, he yanked the handle of his broomstick upwards, headed straight towards the ball. Somehow, he managed to get a hold of it. Feeling like it was his last chance to add ten more points to his house's account, he leaned over his broomstick and headed off straight towards the opposite team's goal hoops.

  * The race for the Golden Snitch seems to be growing tighter by the minute – the sound of teacher's voice filled his ears. - Will the Hufflepuffs pull through and win their second consecutive match in this year's cup?




He was there already. He has picked the hoop he would shoot towards. All he needed to do now was to throw the ball and hope for the best.

  * Ladies and gentlemen, who will be the winner?




He did it. He released the ball from his grasp and watched as it flew slowly towards the middle hoop.

  * And the winner is...




The Keeper didn't make it in time. The Quaffle flew right past him only to...

  * Hufflepuff! - professor Lannister exclaimed loudly. - Badgers defeat the Lions two-hundred and thirty to sixty! It's official! Hufflepuff is still in the running for the House Cup!




...make it... only a second too late.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually really happy posting this chapter, because only now I've noticed how much better I am at writing in English. I knew I'm not bad at it, but with each chapter there are less mistakes for me to fix. And this one is one of my longer one's. Anyways, enough of self-adoration. The Quidditch chapters were the most difficult for me to write, so I really hope you can see how much work I've put into them. Also, I wanted this to be way happier than the Versus Ravenclaw chapter. I've tortured my favorite character enough for now. He really could use a break. After all, even if the ending is kind of bittersweet, it was still a good match for him. Hopefully one of the many.
> 
> Next week: a character you haven't seen in a while is making his grand return to the story...


	17. The Warning

Robb could not recall what happened in the next few minutes following the announcement of his team's win. It was loud, that's for sure. One thing he remembered was the deafening sound of cheering coming from the yellow clad part of the audience, which could be heard clearly even from all the way up there. He remembered someone patting him on the back as he flew downwards, congratulating him on the match. He couldn't recall exactly who it was. He remembered the commentator saying something about a historical moment for the entire house. He remembered the muffled curses coming from one of the Gryffindor players, possibly Yara. He even remembered the faintest of smiles appearing on Brienne's face right after the results have been announced. That might seem like a lot of things he remembered. Still, he couldn't recall what happened after he landed on the ground, how long did he stay in the middle of the pitch or how exactly did he make it all the way back to the changing rooms.

He didn't know how to feel about everything going on around him. He has just played his first Quidditch match ever, which ended up in his team's victory. He even managed to contribute to it by scoring two goals... well, one goal. The last one didn't quite make it in time. Of course, it wouldn't matter that much, since capture of a Golden Snitch meant one hundred and fifty points added to your team's account (he would really love to see his football-obsessed classmates from the Muggle school react to such rule), but he still felt kind of bad about it. One goal was definitely not a bad result for his first match, but two would've been much better. Daryn Hornwood surely wouldn't have a problem scoring two. Still, the fact that his team has won their second consecutive match has far overshadowed his own problems. Even if he had messed up, they still have won, partially thanks to him.

The next thing he remembered was being tackled from behind and almost falling over to the floor right after taking a step inside the changing room. Apparently, Theon couldn't wait to congratulate his friend on the match.

  * Robb! - he yelled out, wrapped tightly around his friends torso. - Dude, that was awesome! Did you guys see that?! How he threw the ball right through the hoop?! The Keeper didn't even have the chance to react! He was just like “huh?”; and you were just like “oh, yeah!; and we were all like “woo!” Dude, you were amazing! Seriously!

  * Stop it... - Robb said, flustered by his friend's compliments. - I wasn't _that_ good.




All of the players have already returned from the pitch, so all of them could hear what Theon was saying. Of course, Robb was incredibly grateful for how excited the Slytherin was about watching him play, but by no means was he the best on the team. He might've even been the worst, at the moment. He truly didn't feel like he deserved all the praise.

  * Of course, you were! - the blond said, grabbing his friend by the yellow-and-black Quidditch jumper, drenched with sweat after full thirty minutes of uninterrupted play. - You've scored two goals, Robb! During your first match! That is a huge achievement!

  * I've scored one goal – the Hufflepuff let his head down sadly. - The last one didn't make it in time.

  * I don't care – Theon replied quickly. - It still made it.

  * For once, he's right.




Only then did Robb notice Jon and Sam standing nearby, smiling at him proudly.

  * You've scored _two_ goals – the dark-haired boy continued.

  * You know – his chubby friend remarked – in some cases, they might've counted it towards the overall score. I've read the entire set of Quidditch rules twice, just in case it might come in handy one day.

  * Thank you – Robb said, happy to see his friends come to visit him. - I'm so glad you've all come.

  * Come on – the Slytherin replied – we couldn't have missed out on your first match ever.




Hearing that, Robb couldn't help but give him one more hug. Theon has never really been the one for cuddles, so he needed to use this opportunity the best he could.

  * Well, Stark – he suddenly heard coming from behind him – didn't know you have so many fans rooting for you. Wasn't it recently when everyone still hated you?




As he turned around, to none of his surprise, he noticed Loras watching them, accompanied by his little sister and Renly.

  * Yeah – he said, his hand still wrapped around Theon's back – that's kind of a new development for me. Nice to see you, guys.

  * Pleasure's all mine, Stark – Baratheon replied. - Glad they've finally let you onto the pitch. Thought you were going to spend another match crying outside.




Robb chuckled at the memory of it. It was hilarious how just a few months ago he was sure he'd never get the chance to show off his skills during a match, and now he ended up scoring ten points for his team. He really should've trusted his friends more about thinfs like this.

  * You were great – Margaery said, taking a step in Robb's direction – seriously. Sometimes I could barely even see you as you were flying so fast.

  * Thank you – Robb replied.



  * Yeah – Loras cut in – ever since the end of the match Marge has been talking more about you than her own brother.

  * ...since there was nothing I could comment on in your case – the Slytherin girl added, unfazed by the boy




Robb couldn't help but laugh hearing the eleven-year-old destroying Loras like that, but the he noticed Brienne heading towards the group, he went quiet again, patiently waiting for the verdict to be announced.

  * Hello, everyone – she said in her usual, distinguished manner – Loras, Robb... Renly.




As she said the last name, she hung her head low, suddenly becoming smaller and way more vulnerable than Robb has ever seen her before. Maybe Renly's comments on her feeling something towards him haven't been that far-fetched after all?

  * Brienne – the boy replied politely – nice to see you again.

  * Thank you – she said, snapping back into the reality right afterwards. - Im sorry for interrupting. I've just wanted to have a quick word with my players. Loras, that was a really good match. You've really stepped up from the previous one. As for you, Robb...




There she took a brief pause to collect her thoughts. The boy stood there, grave silent, looking at her, unsure of what his team captain might have to say to him. Was she going to praise him? Criticize him for losing the ball a few times in the beginning? Kick him off the team? Was it really that bad?

  * …aside from a few good moments, you were way too safe with the ball. The other team could easily predict your moves and take the ball away from you, so that we surely would have work on before the next match.

  * Wait – Robb interrupted – the next match?

  * Yes – the blond nodded her head in response. – Daryn has let down my trust. You did not, so I'm willing to give you one more chance to prove yourself. It was only your first match, after all.

  * Thank you, captain Tarth – the boy said. - I won't let you down, I promise.

  * I sure hope so – Brienne replied. - Well, I guess I'll let you celebrate your win now. Tere are others who I still need to talk to. Goodbye Loras, Robb... Renly.




With that said, she was gone. Robb could see Renly smiling to himself, clearly satisfied with the attention he was being given courtesy of the Hufflepuff captain. Loras, clearly way less impressed with it, responded with a quick jab into his friend's gut.

  * What was that for?! - he asked.

  * For being a jerk – the blond replied. - I guess we're going to go now as well. I've promised Renly I would spend some time with hima fter the match is over, and I would prefer him not to get on my last nerve before I get to do so. See you around, Stark.




That said, he took the dark-haired boy by the hand and dragged him out of the changing room. Margaery followed right behind, but before she walked out of the building, she took one more step into Robb's direction and whispered into his ear.

  * I think someone has come to see you.




She winked at the boy and followed her brother and Renly towards the castle. Indeed, as Robb turned around, he noticed a fairly familiar face awaiting him by the entrance. It was Talisa. Looks like Margaery didn't forget the conversation the two of them have had in the greenhouse just a few weeks ago.

  * Hi, Robb – the Hufflepuff girl greeted him.

  * Talisa – he replied – what are you doing here?

  * The guys and I have come here to congratulate Torrhen on the match, so I've thought that maybe I could visit you as well, since we're already here. The rest will probably be here in a minute. They're probably busy kissing Karstark's feet after the win.




Robb laughed, aware of how excited his friends could get because of Quidditch. He was really glad he and Talisa have finally returned to how it was back when he still hadn't messed everything up. It was all just like then. Only him and Talisa... and Theon, who apparently still hasn't let go of his friend and was standing right next to the two lovebirds, enjoying their conversation with a knowing smile on his face. Robb, not wanting to have his privacy interrupted, grunted loudly enough so that the boy could hear him. Luckily, Theon has understood the allusion and quickly stepped away from the conversation.

  * Oh, yeah – he said. - I guess I'll just... stand over there.




That said, he pointed towards where Jon and Sam have been standing and moved over towards them.

  * Smooth, dude – Robb's brother snarked at the Slytherin.

  * So – the girl continued, seeing as her and Robb were finally on their own – congratulations on those two goals.

  * I-it was one actually – he explained once again. - The last one I've scored after Rakharo had already caught the Snitch. It didn't count.

  * I'm telling you – Sam said, approaching the two – in some instances the last goal would've counted for the score. For example, if the Seeker had already been...

  * Sam, I think they get it – Jon said, grabbing his friend by the wrist. - I think we'll just wait for Robb inside the castle. Theon, let's go!




The Slytherin seemed largely unsatisfied with the command, whether due to having to leave his best friend or his annoying younger brother bossing him around, but nevertheless, he followed them right outside the changing rooms.

  * You were awesome – he whispered to Robb and patted him on the back on his way out, causing Talisa to smile at the sight of that.

  * You and Theon are still going strong, I see – she remarked.

  * Looks like it – Robb replied with a shrug.

  * Glad to see that – the girl said, turning around to look at his friends once more. - They must be very proud of you right now.

  * I'm not sure if there's so much to be proud of. Brienne and Irri have done most of the job. They are the heroes. I was just helping.

  * And how many balls exactly would they have lost if not for you? - Talisa asked, looking deep into the boy's blue eyes. - You _should_ be proud of yourself.




Robb only smiled in response. It's not like he would've been able to say anything with Talisa so close to him. All he could do was stare at her beautiful face and nod his head understandingly, trying not to come off like a complete idiot doing so.

  * Anyway – the girl continued – when's the next time I will be able to see you play? I guess Daryn will be back for the next match, am I right?

  * Actually – the boy said – Brienne has told me she will keep me for the last match.

  * Really?! Robb, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!




Then she pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. One sweet, short moment for Robb Stark. To think that he would've missed out on it if he kept avoiding her.

  * So – she began as she pulled back – does that mean you've officially made it onto the main team?

  * I don't know – Robb replied truthfully – I sure hope so.

  * So do I – the girl added. - You really deserve it.




Then came a brief moment of silence, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable for any of them. They felt good without saying anything. They just stood there, staring into each other without a single word. It has probably lasted for about a few seconds, but for Robb it felt like a lifetime. Sure, they have been seeing each other a lot recently, but that did not make up for nearly ten months of separation. However, this sweet, sweet moment of privacy didn't last too long, as soon a familiar voice has brought the boy back to the ground.

  * Woo! - Podrick yelled loudly. - We've won! Badgers have won the match!




The atmosphere of the match has seemingly really rubbed off on the usually shy and quiet boy. Here he was, screaming at the top of his lungs with his face painted yellow-and-black, puffing up his chubby chest in pride of his house allegiance.

  * I'm sorry about him – Wendel added. - I think he got a bit too carried away.




The boy was signigicantly more careful with his make-up choices than his friend, instead going for two Hufflepuff-coloured stripes on his cheeks. Despite the boys interrupting his private moment with Talisa, he couldn't feel mad at them, seeing how joyful they were today. It sure was a big day for the Puffs.

  * What are you doing here without me? - Torrhen asked, suddenly appearing next to the boys.




He didn't seem bothered by Robb's presence, but he did take one discreet (not discreet at all) look towards him before turning his gaze towars the rest of his colleagues. It came as a huge surprise for the boy that he has even decided to show up with him around. He didn't expect Torrhen to just suddenly waltz up to them and start talking as if nothing had ever happened, yet that's exactly what happened. There was also another layer of awkwardness added to the situation, considering that the Beater has also saved him from getting his shiny teeth knocked out by a Bludger just a few minutes ago. Robb had no idea what to do about it. Well, technically he did. He wanted to thank Torrhen for helping him out during the match, but he didn't know if making any kind of contact with him was a good idea.

  * I've come here to congratulate Robb on a great match – the girl said – and the guys have decided to tag along.

  * Talisa is right! - Podrick butted in. - Robb was great today! Really! Have you seen him flying?! He was so fast! He was maybe even faster than Karsi Sørensen! He has really done a great job today!

  * He did – Torrhen said, with something resembling of a smile forming on his face – I have to admit.

  * Thanks – Robb replied shyly – and thank you for helping me with that Bludger. I really don't know what would happen if you were not there.

  * Don't mention it.




For a split second Robb thought the boy might actually say something else, and he even opened his mouth to speak, but that's when the door to the building have opened with a loud bang, and inside came the Gryffindors, led by no one else but Tormund Giantsbane.

  * You pesky badgers! - he said loudly, standing in the middle of the room. - And here I've thought we might have an easy win for once!




There was a moment of complete silence afterwards, everyone staring right at the redhead, expecting him to burst out laughing any moment... which eventually he did.

  * Congratulations, you furry bastards! – he barked out and patted the nearest Hufflepuff, who happened to be Harrion, on the back in a friendly way.




The whole changing room sighed in relief, seeing as the visitors had no ill intentions towards them. Everyone seemed to be getting alone just fine. Rakharo got into a heated discussion with Drogo and his other Beater friend in the corner of the room. Karsi and Irri had nothing but superlatives to describe the other's gameplay with. Even Brienne seemed to be enjoying her conversation with the ginger, even if his attempts to conquer her heart were as fruitless as ever.

  * Hey, Stark! - he heard suddenly.




He didn't need to turn around to know who was speaking. It was Yara. Surely she had a few choice words to say to her “brother-in-law” now that his team has unexpectedly beaten the indestructible Gryffindors.

  * What is it, Greyjoy? - Robb asked, allowing himself to get a little bit more cocky around the girl. - Am I good enough for your brother now?




Podrick and Wendel exchanged surprised glances, seemingly unaware of sarcastic nature of the question.

  * Maybe even too good – she said, chuckling a bit. - Good match, Stark.

  * Thanks.

  * And you – that said, she pointed at a very surprised Torrhen – I've almost died a few times there because of you and your brother! You damned Karstarks and your Beater skills... oh, and tell your brother that if he keeps hitting on me, his little Bludgers might find themselves in danger.




And just like that. Usual Yara. Appears out of nowhere, throws profanities left and right, threatens a few people and then vanishes into thin air. It was beginning to look like Theon was the normal one of the family (which was a rather unsettling thought, by the way.)

  * You know what?! - Tormund's booming voice sounded through the building, all of a sudden. - We have to celebrate! All of you are invited to visit the Gryffindor Tower after dinnertime! All of you! There will be no excuses tolerated! Are you in?!




He didn't have to wait long for an answer. After all, if there was one thing the Gryffindor was known for, it were the parties. Everyone seemed to be rather enthusiastic about the idea. Well, everyone except Brienne, who clearly had better things to do than hang out with the Gryffindors.

  * Oh, come on! – the redhead pleaded. - It is my last year here. It might be long since I see you again. Don't do this to me, “big woman.”

  * Sounds like fun – Torrhen remarked. - Would you guys like to go?

  * I've never been to a Gryffindor party before – Podrick said. - I'd like to see how it looks like.

  * Yeah, I'm in – Wendel added.

  * Robb? - Talisa asked, taking a look in the boy's direction.




It's not that he didn't want to go. The entire summer he has spent wishing for a one more chance to hang out with his friend, for things to be normal again. It seemed like he got exactly what he wished for. Besides, it was a Gryffindors' party. Who would deny an opportunity like that one. Still, despite all of that, Robb couldn't help but feel like going there would be a mistake. He may have already made up with Podrick, Wendel and Talisa, but his relationship with Torrhen still remained rather strained. He wouldn't want to make him feel uncomfortable around him. After all, he's been doing his best today too. He deserved to celebrate his win with a group of his friends. A group which did not include Robb. Besides, he knew that Jon, Sam and Theon would also like to meet with him. He didn't want to dump them just because he got invited to a party. That was not what real friends do.

  * Come on – the girl added, seeing her friend's hesitation. - You could bring you boyfriend with you. No one would mind. Come on, Robb.




For a brief moment he even began to consider taking the boys to the party with him, but one more look towards Torrhen has quickly settled it for him.

  * I'm sorry, but I've already promised my brother I'd meet them in the castle – he explained. - Maybe next time?

  * Sure – Talisa replied – next time.




Robb couldn't have been sure if there was ever going to be a next time, but he felt like it would be for the best if he didn't go anywhere just yet. After all, there was no need to tempt the fate, and there was only so much good that could happen in one day. Hufflepuffs winning the match against Gryffindor surely must've exhausted the daily amount of luck, so nothing good would've come out of the party anyway. Still, he felt a bit bitter as he was leaving the changing rooms, having to hear how excited everyone was about it. He felt like it wasn't going to be soon that such an opportunity happens again.

When he entered the common room, it was mostly empty. The only people present inside were two first-year girl, who have seemingly recognized Robb from the match and sent a friendly smile his way. It seemed like most of the Hufflepuffs have still been busy celebrating their team's second consecutive win. Well, they did have a reason to be so excited. The last time their house was doing so well in the Quidditch Cup was about fifteen years ago. Ever since then, the Puffs have settled for battling Ravenclaws for the third place. Now, not only did they have a shot at coming second by the end of the year, but maybe even winning the whole tournament. It was not out of question. No one thought that they might beat the Gryffindor in today's match, but that's exactly what happened. Maybe a victory over Slytherin wasn't that far from reality?

He opened the door leading to his bedroom and fell onto his bed to get a bit of rest. Only now did he realize how tired he was after over half-an-hour of giving his best on the pitch. Somehow, it paid off. His team has won against Gryffindor, and he even took part in their victory. He must've been dreaming. Maybe he was? After all, he was laying on his bed. Maybe he did fall asleep for a while and he woke up to a distant memory of a dream he had. Still, he knew all of it has actually happened. He could cross that one out of the bucket list. The night before has been a sleepless one for him because of the stress involved. With that off his head, he allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment. He failed the register the exact moment he drifted off into a deep, yet well deserved sleep.

He woke up three hours later. The bedroom was a bit less deserted now with both Podrick and Wendel present. Robb stayed quiet, however, hoping for a few more minutes of uninterrupted slumber.

  * Do you think it will come off in the end? - Podrick asked, seemingly calmer than three hours ago.




Indeed, the yellow-colored half of his face seemed clean by now, but the black paint still remained mostly intact.

  * I've told you not to use so much of it – Wendel admonished his friend.

  * If I didn't use so much, it wouldn't be visible – the boy explained.

  * In that case, I'm sure whatever allergic reaction you'll get because of it will also be clearly visible.




Having heard a movement coming from near Robb's bed, he turned around and noticed his friend watching them.

  * Glad to see you've come back from the dead – he said. - Me and Podrick are going to the Gryffindor Tower with Torrhen, so we won't be interrupting you.

  * It's okay – the brown-haired boy replied. - I was about to get up anyway.

  * Are you sure you wouldn't want to join us? - Podrick asked hopefully. - Harrion said he'd even let us have a sip of his beer.




As he said that, his eyes shined with excitement, almost as brightly as they did after the match. Robb smiled, seeing his friend so happy, even over something as trivial as that, but he knew that going to the Gryffindors' party wasn't an option for him.

  * I'm sorry, but I've already promised Theon and Jon I'd meet with them.

  * Oh, yeah – Wendel reminded himself – Talisa told us they had been looking for you about an hour ago, but you were sleeping.

  * I've got to go see them – Robb said, quickly making his way out of the bed.




He didn't like when he didn't keep promises. Even if the guys did understand that he was tired after the match, he felt bad for forgetting about them completely.

  * Whoa, easy there! - Wendel said, grabbing him by the shoulder. - First I'd advice you to take a shower. You stink worse than Torr when he made that stupid bet with his brother.




Ah, the infamous “I won't wash for a week” bet! The boys couldn't get rid of the stench for the next few days afterwards. This must've meant it was bad, and he didn't want to visit Theon reeking of sweat... Theon and the rest of guys, of course.

  * You're probably right – he replied.

  * Well, the bathroom's all yours – Wendel said, heading off towards the exit. - If you needed anything, you know where to find us.




That said, they've closed the door behind him, leaving Robb all to himself. Part of him was angry with himself over the fact he was going to miss what could possibly be his only chance to finally spend some more time with his housemates, but he knew it was for the best. At least that way he would be sure he won't get himself in any trouble. Besides, he wouldn't want to keep his friends waiting any longer. He picked up his towel and locked himself in the bathroom for the next five minutes.

Walking through the hallways of Hogwarts, Robb reminded himself of how it used to be when he first got there. Trying to find your way inside of this gigantic castle seemed to be a nightmare back then. Even these days he would sometimes have to think twice about which staircase should he choose to end up at the ground floor. No wonder he would get lost so often. Luckily, even if he did, there was always plenty of people around, all of them eager to help their younger schoolmates. He couldn't even count how many times did he and his friends have to ask for directions on how to get to the Transifguration classroom. Everyone seemed so nice back then, and they still were. It's just that... no one wanted to be nice towards the traitor, or at least until today. The match really seemed to have changed a few things about Robb's social situation. People passing him on the corridor would smile, wave at him. One of the older Hufflepuffs has even approached him, congratulating on a great debut. He wasn't being sarcastic. It wasn't any kind of joke. He was genuinely being nice towards him out of his free will. Only then did Robb truly begin to feel like a winner. It was like a sudden adrenaline rush that all of his teammates have most likely already gone through. Robb was aware that sooner or later people would forget about the match and start treating him like they did before, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy his fifteen minutes of local fame.

Finding Theon and Jon has proven to be quite a challenge for the boy. To be honest, finding anyone in this huge freaking castle would be a miracle. Hodor could find a good hideout spot in there, let alone a bunch of twelve-year-olds. Not knowing where else to look for his friends, Robb turned into one of the emptier parts of corridor. There were a few scarcely populated parts of school where he'd usually spend his free time with Theon, but there was no sight of the Greyjoy boy in here. Still, that didn't mean the hallway was completely empty.

  * Looking for someone? - he heard coming from behind him.




He wasn't surprised to hear that voice, neither was he angry. At this point he was just tired. Every single time things would start to seem like they might be going uphill for him, that's exactly when _he_ appeared.

  * Ramsay – Robb said with pure hatred in his voice as he turned around.

  * Good thing you still remember me – the Slytherin replied. - It's been a while since we've last spoken. Can you remind me, when was it?

  * December – the brown-haired boy gritted out through his teeth – before Christmas. If I recall correctly, my brother hit you in the face with a snowball.

  * Yeah, that was funny – Ramsay laughed, even if you could see he clearly didn't consider the memory a particularly pleasant one. - Almost like that one time I've called you out for being a liar in front of the entire school, and everyone started to hate you. Looks like you've picked yourself up rather quickly, didn't you?

  * What do you want, Bolton?! - the Hufflepuff asked, growing more annoyed with the other boy with every passing second.

  * Don't worry – he replied. - I've just come here to talk.

  * About what?!

  * About your latest successes, for example.




That said, Ramsay moved even closer to the boy, looking him straight in the eyes.

  * I've heard you're rather adept at Quidditch. Hufflepuff's newest Chaser? I have to say that sound rather impressive.




He clearly expected some kind of reaction from Robb here, but having gotten none, he continued.

  * Should've known you were good after our little race in the first grade. Remember? The one you were crying over back then in your aunt's office. I have to admit you have won this one fair and square... even if you got lucky that my broom broke down right before the finish line. If that didn't happen, you wouldn't have gotten there first. Let's be clear. Anyways, I wasn't there to watch your match. Obviously, I had better things to do than to watch seven idiots dressed in yellow try their best not to come off as total losers in front of the whole school, but Locke was there, and so was Myranda. Apparently, you've been doing quite well. Congratulations, turns out Gryffindors are just as lame as you. Isn't that ironic, Stark?

  * Could you cut to the point already?! - Robb snapped at the Slytherin.

  * Okay... and here I thought it was going to be a pleasant conversation. The point is, no matter how good the others say you are, I will always be better than you. You may have lucked out with that match against the Gryffindors, but don't get too excited about the next one. You're going to lose. Actually, “lose” is a bad word to describe what's going to happen to you and your teammates. You're going to get completely destroyed, humiliated and knocked into the ground. Do you think you're going to get to the Quaffle even one time? I will personally make sure that the very minute you take a sit on the broomstick, you're pretty little face is going to bashed right in by a speeding Bludger. Once again, everyone will see how much of a loser you really are, and no one is going to help you this time. Not your pathetic little brother and his obese friend, not your ugly, masculine team captain and especially not that traitorous rat Greyjoy.

  * Okay – the Hufflepuff replied in a much calmer tone – first of all, I would advice you get yourself a breath mint or maybe even two. It smells as if you've had a sewer in there. Besides, I am not scared of you. You think you can threaten me with a Bludger? Well, guess what? I've just avoided one from Drogo only a few hours ago, and I happen to know first-hand that he is a way better Beater than you will ever be. Besides, who else do you have on your side? Locke? I happen to have a friend on your team too, and I'm sure he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me because of you. Our team will win against you, because that's exactly what it is. A team. We all like each other and work together. You couldn't know less about it. No matter how good the rest of your team is, you're always going to drag them down. You will lose. Deal with it, Bolton.




A grin wasn't the reaction Robb has wanted to get from Ramsay, but that's exactly what he got.

  * Very well, then – he said. - I guess we'll just have to wait for the match and see how it goes for ourselves. In the meantime, take good care of your friends and family. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to then, would you? See you soon, loser.




He winked at the Hufflepuff one last time and disappeared behind the wall. Robb tried not to think too much of what Ramsay said to him while leaving. He knew him. He knew that these were only empty threats. He wouldn't dare to do anything to his friends or family. Right? Of course, he wouldn't... but it wouldn't hurt for him to keep a more solid watch over them for the next couple days, just in case.

Speaking of friends, not so long later he found the boys waiting for him outside the Hufflepuff common room, carrying four bottles of some brightly colored, fizzy liquid. Somehow, that was the only place he didn't check while searching for them.

  * There he is!- the Slytherin said loudly, seeing the boy approaching. - The Hufflepuff's newest Chaser and my best friend, Robb Stark!

  * Theon – Robb shushed the blond – someone might hear you.

  * So what?! Today is your day! If anyone has a problem with it, they can suck it!

  * Theon's right – Jon remarked, which was surprising, considering he didn't agree with 99% of words coming out the boy's mouth. - It's not often that my older brother finally makes it into the Quidditch team.

  * Actually – Sam added – technically speaking, Robb did make it into the main team already in the beginning of the year, and today he only got accepted to play-

  * Booo-ring! - Theon interrupted the Ravenclaw's speech. - Let's get to drinking, shall we?




That said, he cracked open one bottle using the second bottle, a skill that was rather impressive for a twelve-year-old.

  * My brother taught me how to open up beer like that – he explained. - Anyways, since all of us are finally here, let's have a toast for Robb Stark and the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team! May they finally win something! It's been long overdue!




As they've taken a sip of the colourful soda that was in their bottles, Robb couldn't help but think that he'd so much rather be spending time here with these boys than at the Gryffindor Tower with a bunch of strangers. He loved spending time with them. Theon, Jon... even Sam. Moments like these, with just the four of them, were probably the moments he was going to look upon most fondly once the school has ended for him. It seemed like they've formed a pretty tight-knit group. He couldn't even bear to think that something bad might happen to any of them, especially because of Ramsay. What if he really wasn't pretending? What if he actually wanted to hurt them? He wouldn't forgive himself if he let Ramsay get to any of them.

  * Robb, are you okay?




As he opened his eyes, he noticed Theon looking right at him with a worried expression. He didn't want to tell him about Ramsay. Why should he? He wasn't going to let anything happen to him? Besides, they were having fun. Why ruin it for everyone involved? For once in their lives, they could use a bit of a break.

  * Yeah – the boy replied, putting on his best smile – better then ever.




Theon didn't say anything, but the joyful flicker in his eyes served as a reply. Robb lingered his eyes on his face for a moment, before looking away into the opposite direction. In the end, maybe it _was_ for the best that Robb didn't go to the party?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. I didn't post last week. I've been really dragging my ass recently. I blame the year. However, I'm working on it and as a way to make it up to you, I'm posting two chapters today.
> 
> So, the character whose comeback I've been hyping up two weeks ago was indeed Ramsay. It wasn't until this point in the story when I've realized that there wasn't really that much of him. In the first part he was one of the major players and Robb's biggest enemy. In this part he seems to have disappeared. That said, it's not like he's gone completely. Despite appearing in maybe two or three chapters, his presence can be felt throughout the whole story. He wasn't there simply because he didn't think Robb would be able to pick himself up so quickly. Now that the Hufflepuff has managed to get his good name back, he's back to make sure that's not going to happen again. This time there will be nothing left off Robb once he's done with him. Is he going to succeed? Well, you'll see soon.
> 
> Chapter 18 will be up in a few minutes.


	18. Bolton Defeated

With the following week, all preparations for the final match against the Slytherins have officially begun. Captain Tarth insisted on having training sessions every single day after the dinner. You could see just how much determined was she to beat the other house in an upcoming match. After all, it was the first time in over fifteen years that Hufflepuff ended up doing so well in the Quidditch Cup. Usually, they would end up third or fourth, with either Gryffindor or Slytherin winning. This was the first year in a long time where this wasn't the case. The current leaders of the competition were the Slytherins with 460 points on their account, but Hufflepuff wasn't that far off with only ten points of difference. Just one goal. To think that if Robb had managed to score the last one during the previous match, it would have been a tie between them. Third were the Gryffindors. Similarly to how Hufflepuff have experienced a sudden breakthrough, the other house has suffered a significant decline from the past few years. If they had won this year, that would be their third consecutive victory. Still, it seemed like all the chances of this happening were gone. Of course, some of them were still hoping that they might completely smash the Ravenclaws in the upcoming match and slip onto the second place, even if by a small margin, but that didn't seem very likely.

The recent good results seemed to have brought the entire Hufflepuff team closer to each other. Of course, they have always been friendly towards each other, and no significant conflicts have ever happened amongst them, but celebrating their recent wins together has really seemed to have an effect on their relationship. Before, switching to a Quidditch clothing in the changing rooms used to happen in a rather silent atmosphere, but now the boys would engage in some random conversations almost all of the time. This was actually beneficial to Robb as for the past few months he has been basically cut off from the rest of the world and only now could he finally catch up with everything interesting currently going on at school. Actually, despite the amount of hard work he had to put into them, he really enjoyed those evening training sessions. If not for them, where else would he get the occasion to talk to the rest of his teammates? Over the course of the last few weeks Robb has found himself quite enjoying the company of ones like Rakharo, Irri or even Harrion Karstark. Only his younger brother seemed to be keeping the boy at a safe distance. Well, he and Brienne, but she kept most people at a distance, especially if their name was Tormund Giantsbane.

During the last few training sessions, captain Tarth has ordered for her team to try out a few new tactics, the one she put most focus on being The Porskoff Ploy. Its basic assumption was that one of the Chasers flies upwards with the Quaffle, trying to get the opposite team's players to follow them, and then throws the ball downwards where her teammate would already be waiting to receive it. Easy? Not at all. Still, during the previous match, Robb has managed to pull off something vaguely similar, earning ten points for his team. Maybe if they've perfected this technique, it might come in handy during the match against Slytherin? He was particularly hell-bent on winning the next match, even if only to show Ramsay that he was nowhere as good as he thought he was. Still, not everyone seemed to share the boy's enthusiasm.

  * We're just doing the same thing over and over again – Loras muttered out to him one day after the practise session.

  * Well, we won't master the Porskoff Ploy if we don't put any effort into it – Robb replied calmly.

  * I don't know why she's making you do this anyway – he continued, seemingly very annoyed with something. - It will not come in handy.

  * It did once already – the brown-haired boy replied, surprised with his older friend's attitude.

  * And what are the chances of it happening again? It sounds downright stupid to me...

  * What's wrong with you today?! - Robb asked finally, unable to take anymore of Hufflepuff's constant complaining. - You've been acting like a prick ever since you've come here. What are you so angry about?




The blond didn't respond immediately, hanging his head low for a while before he decided to say anything.

  * Don't know – he replied. - I just find it stupid that we practise each evening and it leads us nowhere. I'm not really sure if Brienne knows what's the best for our team anymore.




As much as he liked Loras, Robb found himself barely able to resist the urge of punching him in the gut for being that stupid. So far, Brienne's lead over their team has resulted in nothing but a continuous strike of success for their house. Even if sometimes she could across as rather harsh and unlikeable, there was no denying she was one of the best captains Hufflepuff has had in a while. Besides, for the past few months Loras has been thinking so as well. What has happened that made him change his mind about Brienne? Fortunately enough, that's when Harrion came around with an explanation.

  * Pay no attention to him, Stark – he said, wiping off the sweat of his forehead with his bright pink towel. - He has been bitching about Brienne ever since he noticed Renly Baratheon flirting with her in the Gryffindor Tower.

  * They haven't been flirting – Torrhen joined in. - They were just talking.

  * Come on – the older Karstark continued. - I've seen them. To me, Tyrell's clearly jealous that his best friend has been paying more attention to captain Tarth than to him during the party.

  * Maybe Giantsbane isn't the only one with a taste for the big woman? - Rakharo added as a joke.




Robb couldn't deny he let out a snicker as he heard that. Still, he was way more subtle about it than the Karstark brothers, who have burst out laughing at Rakharo's comment. Only Loras didn't seem to find the joke funny as he got up with an exasperated expression.

  * Fuck all of you – he said, visibly annoyed with his teammates' antics. - I'm out.

  * Come on, Loras – the Seeker said, trying to stop the boy. - I was just kidding. I'm sorry.




The blond, however, didn't even turn around as he slammed the door shut behind him and left the building. Robb found himself rather surprised by his friend's emotional outburst. Usually, Loras was the one to keep a cool head, but whenever Renly was being mentioned, he would suddenly get very touchy about it. Why? He knew that Loras and Renly have been rather close to each other. In a way they've resembled him and Theon, but if someone said something like this abot the Slytherin, Robb would most likely find himself laughing a the joke as well. After all, no one has said anything bad about either him or Renly. All they did was mention the fact that supposedly he's been flirting with Brienne at the Gryffindor Tower, which truth be told, seemed like just another silly gossip. Of course, it was more than likely that the Hufflepuff team captain felt somewhat warm about the Slytherin, based on her interactions with him, but Renly didn't seem interested in her in that way. Even then, why would Loras care so much if there was something between the two of them? Was he really that jealous over his best friend? It seemed like this time Robb was going to be the one to lead a serious talk with him in the common room.

Also, speaking of serious topics, let's talk about professor Baelish and how the poor boy found him with his tongue stuck inside of aunt Lysa's throat. For a short moment in time, Robb has almost managed to forget about the incident, but the very first Potions lesson which followed has only proven him that it wouldn't be that easy to remove the image from his mind. Everytime he'd take a look at the man, all he could think of was the headmistress telling him he needs to relax a bit. He could see the woman draped all over him. He could hear her scream, even though he still wasn't sure what did she mean saying she was “a screamer.” The worst part was that the man also seemed to be watching him rather carefully. Robb tried to avoid his gaze, but their eyes did meet a few times during the lesson. He wasn't sure how, but he felt like professor Baelish knew that he has been observed by someone. He could see it in the way he stared at him. One thing he could sense as well was that another private conversation between the two of them happening was only a matter of time. That's exactly why, during each Potions lesson he would be the first one to leave, not wanting to get caught by the teacher. This one time, however, he did not manage to make it in time.

  * Robb? – he heard just as he was about to leave.




He wondered if maybe he could just pretend he didn't hear the man and leave while he still had the chance to do so, but that's when he heard his name being said once again. As he turned around, he noticed the Potions teacher standing right behind his desk. There was no use in escaping now.

  * Professor Baelish - the curly-haired boy replied awkwardly. – I'm so sorry. I couldn't hear you through all this noise.




The man arched his eyebrow at him. Of course, the one time Robb needed for everyone to be as loud and obnoxious as they only could, the whole classroom was silent like never before. There was no way he couldn't hear professor Baelish calling him.

  * I see – the teacher replied. - Listen, Robb, I would like to have a word with you in private. Are you free now?

  * I really don't know – the Hufflepuff said, pretending to feel sorry. - There's this upcoming History of Magic exam, and I should really just be off studying for it right now.

  * History of Magic, you say? - professor Baelish asked with a slight smile appearing on his face. - You know, I'm no professor Pycelle, but I happen to be quite knowledgeable when it comes to that subject. Tell me, which period are you currently learning about.




If only Robb knew... the last time he has been paying attention during the History lessons was when they were discussing A Dance with the Dragons, but even then the elderly teacher has managed to kill the fun of such an interesting topic.

  * Look – the teacher said, taking a seat on the desk opposite the boy – love can be a beautiful thing, and sometimes, when you love someone really really much, there are certain things that the two of you can do to... bring yourselves even closer to each other. I hope you know what I'm talking about.




Of course, he did. Robb's dad had already presented him with the Bird & Bees 101 last summer. It was... way too uncomfortable to even be described by words, but imagine if professor Baelish has decided to give him The Talk™ right here, right now. It could've always been worse.

  * So... you've seen me – Robb asked as the conclusion was rather obvious – didn't you?

  * I did – the man replied – but don't be afraid. Your aunt doesn't know about anything. I didn't tell her.




There he made a brief pause, clearly expecting some kind of reaction from the boy.

  * ...wow...




Good enough.

  * You're welcome – he said with a smile. - This will remain our little secret.




Great! Truly, the last thing Robb needed right now was a shared secret with his second most hated teacher in the school. Second only because the first place belonged to a woman who he has been passionately making out with, despite the door being open.

  * Is that all, professor? - he asked, clearly not too keen on taking this conversation anywhere further. - I've promised my friends I would meet them after the lessons have ended, and I wouldn't want to disappoint them.

  * Sure – the Potions teacher replied. - Just remember, if there was anything you'd like to ask me about, then go ahead. I'm going try to answer you as well as I can.




Robb couldn't deny that there was a few questions he'd like to ask professor Baelish if the right occasion appeared. How long has he been dating his aunt and what was the reason behind it? Why would anyone do something like this at school with the door open? What did “a screamer” mean? Most of all, however, he wanted to ask him about what he said that evening. The thing about him getting his sweet revenge. What did he mean by that? What was his plan? Still, he didn't ask him about it. After all, if professor Baelish was planning to do something bad, why should Robb risk getting dragged into it as well? Almost as if he didn't have enough problems as it was. However, there was one more thing he could ask the teacher about.

  * Actually – he began – I do have one question. I'm afraid I've lied to you, professor. The necklace you gave me, the one with the dragonstone, it didn't make it to my mother... Actually, I've lost it.

  * You've lost it? - the man repeated, seemingly more curious than outright angry about it.

  * I've searched for it everywhere. I swear. I remember packing it into my suitcase, but when I've opened it, the necklace was gone. I thought that I might never see it again, but about two weeks ago I've found it inside the drawer of my nightstand. There is no way I have left it there over the winter break. That's actually why I've been searching for you that night, professor. It might sound stupid, but is there a way the necklace could've found its way back to Hogwarts after I had lost it?




There was a brief moment of silence, during which Robb was afraid the Potions teacher had noticed some inaccuracies in his quickly made up cover story, but instead, the man smiled. He even seemed proud his student has managed to uncover the truth about the necklace.

  * It doesn't sound stupid at all, Robb – he said. - I've enchanted the necklace before giving it to you, because I'm aware that kids your age have a tendency to... lose random things.




The emphasis on the word “lose” has sent shivers down Robb's spine. Did professor Baelish know what really happened to the necklace?

  * How does this spell work? - the boy asked, driven by his own curiosity.

  * It isn't a complicated spell – professor Baelish explained. - It is known by two names, _Glutinum Donum_ or The Duct Tape Spell. It's main purpose is to make sure that whoever you give the enchanted object to would never lose it or throw it away. Everytime it happened, the gift would come back sooner or later. The only way to get rid of it is to pass it on to another person. That's why I've given it to you. The necklace recognizes you as the receiver, but once you presented it to your mother, she would become one herself. It's simple as that. Do you get it, Robb?

  * Yeah, I do now – the brown-haired boy replied. - Thank you, professor.

  * No problem – the man said – but remember to give the necklace to your mother once you go back home. It's valuable. I've picked it thinking of her in particular, and I would like her to have it.

  * Don't worry, professor. The necklace will be delivered to my mother as soon as possible.




It seemed like Robb was slowly starting to get better at lying. You know what they say, practice makes perfect.

  * Also – the teacher continued just as the student was about to leave – next time you've found yourself in a situation like the last time, just leave. I'm sure you wouldn't want to hear anything you weren't supposed to hear... right, Robb?




He looked the boy deeply in the eyes as if to communicate something. The message was rather clear. _“Mind your business, Stark.”_

  * Right – Robb replied, slightly intimidated by the man's downright threatening tone.




Still, it felt good to finally know what was the deal with professor Baelish's... well, purely technically, his necklace. There was only one problem left. How was he going to get rid of it now? The only way to do it was to pass it over to someone else, but who could he give it to? First person he has thought of was Theon. Surely, he could use some extra money, and dragonstone was a highly valuable gemstone, but he wasn't sure if he would take it from him. Theon was a proud human being. He wouldn't take it if he deemed it a charity case. He has also thought of Talisa, who surely would do the necklace justice, but then professor Baelish could notice hear wearing it and get mad at her or even both of them, and that was something Robb would rather avoid, especially after today's little chat with the teacher. Besides, giving your kind of crush a necklace worth millions of Galleons seemed a bit too much of a desperate measure, even by his standards.

As he continued walking down the hallway, thinking of how to get rid of the unwanted piece of jewelry, he noticed the schoolmates he was passing on his way seemed to be particularly enthusiastic today. Not that it was this hard to get them excited over anything. It might have been a wizarding school, but it still was a school. Gossip would spread around here just as fast as in the Muggle world, if not faster. Robb didn't care much for what was the current hot topic, mainly thanks to the fact that he has already been one at least three times by now (not one of them pleasant), so he didn't pay much attention to what was going on around him. After a while, however, he began to notice people giving him weird looks in passing. Was there something wrong about him? Did he put his clothes on left side up? As he looked down, everything seemed to be fine. He didn't make a faux-pass, yet he still felt like everyone was looking at him. One thing was for sure. Something was off around here.

  * Did you see it? - he suddenly heard someone say from nearby. - What that Bolton guy has done?

  * I did – someone else replied. - That kid must've really pissed him off to do that.




As he turned around, he noticed the two Martell girls – Obara and Nymeria, talking right behind him. For the sake of introduction, both of them are from Slytherin and definitely don't represent the good side of their house. Obara is also one of their Quidditch team Chasers and one of the few members Robb wasn't too keen on playing against. Still, they were talking about something Ramsay has done to someone. What if he has hurt someone Robb cared about? What if he has hurt Theon? Or Talisa? No matter how unpleasant the girls were, he would've at least tried to get the truth out of them if it was not for yet another familiar figure making his way down the corridor towards him.

Suffice to say, Samwell Tarly wasn't the sportiest of Robb's schoolmates. Poor boy was all red and gasping for air by the time he reached the older Hufflepuff. He looked as if he has run through the entire castle to find him. Maybe Robb would've even found the sight funny if not for the fearful look on his round face?

  * Robb – he gasped out, leaning down to catch his breath.

  * Sam, what's going on? - the brown-haired boy asked. - Where's Jon?




The boy didn't reply as his poor condition making it hard for him to do so, but eventualy he has managed to gasp out one more thing.

  * It was Ramsay...




Bolton was a dead man.

Sam has led Robb down towards the ground floor, yet he didn't tell him exactly what happened between Jon and Ramsay.

  * You'll see it yourself – he said.




Still, by the look on the Ravenclaw's face, Robb could see it was something serious. He really hated himself for taking his rival's threats for granted. _“_ _You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to then, would you?”_ He should've done something about it, but stupidly he thought that even Ramsay might not be unscrupulous enough to hurt his family members over their silly conflict. As per usual, he was dead wrong. Ramsay just kept on hitting new lows with every single time the the two of them would speak, and it was only his second year at Hogwarts. By the looks of it, he would've probably murdered someone by the time he gets to fifth grade. Now, because of Robb's naivety, his younger brother got hurt. What exactly has went down between the two of them?

When he noticed the rather large crowd assembled around the school's middle courtyard, Robb didn't need to think twice about where Jon was. A large group of people has never been a good sign in here. For a moment, Robb was even worried he wouldn't get to his brother because of all those onlookers, but for best or worse, it would've been hard not to notice him hanging down from the torch sconce by his robe, over fifteen feet above the ground. He could see the dark-haired boy desperately trying to free himself, clearly uncomfortable with about thirty schoolmates poking fun at his misfortune. Hearing that, Robb threw himself into the sea of people, trying to make his way closer towards his younger brother.

  * Don't push me! - some Gryffindor girl scolded him.

  * Shut up! - the boy snapped back angrily. - He's my brother! Jon?! Jon!




Finally, Jon seemed to have noticed his older brother as he made his way through the crowd, followed closely by Sam.

  * Robb! - he yelled out, relieved to finally see someone familiar in the crowd.

  * Are you okay?! - the Hufflepuff asked, concerned with the boy.

  * I'm fine, but could you _please_ get me out of here?!

  * Don't worry, Jon – the chubby Ravenclaw replied. - Theon said he would bring the teacher over here. They're going to help you.




In that exact moment, almost as if he heard him being discussed, the Slytherin emerged from between the gawking crowd, like the knight in shining armour he clearly knew he was, with professor Lannister right by his side. Luckily, it was him who Theon has managed to get to help them. Professor Tyrell would've probably made a few quips in the boy's direction before doing something actually helpful, professor Pycelle would've arrived about an hour later and professor Baelish... this one really didn't need an explanation. The dwarf man looked up at the boy hanging down from the sconce, clearly not having expected to witness something like that.

  * Over there, professor – Theon said, pointing to Jon.



  * Good God – he muttered under his breath. - Mr. Stark, are you okay?! Did you get hurt?!

  * I'm alright – the Gryffindor repeated once more.




As he made sure the boy was fine, he turned his gaze towards the three other boys standing next to him.

  * What has happened in here? - he asked.

  * It was Ramsay Bolton – Robb replied with a tone which more than implied his willingness to murder the Slytherin as soon as he sees him.

  * I should've known that – the man grunted and turned around to face Jon once more. - Don't worry, mr. Stark! I will get you down in a moment!

  * Thank you, professor! That's a great-




He didn't finish as that's exactly when the bloodcurdling sound of ripping fabric has filled the air. Everyone went quiet, even the gawkers. Robb quickly grabbed Sam's wrist out of worry, digging his nails deep into the boy's soft arms. He probably would've yelped out of pain if not for the sudden sight of Jon plummeting down towards the ground from fifteen feet above. The public shrieked in shock, and Sam has most likely lost feeling in his arm courtesy of the boy's older brother. Professor Lannister tried to cast a spell to slow down the boy's fall, but he was too late. The boy landed on the grass with a loud thud. Robb has immediately sprinted off towards him with Sam, Theon and professor Lannister following right afterwards. Fifteen feet wasn't high enough to be life-threatening, but the fall could've costed Jon a broken arm or a leg.

  * Jon?! - Robb said, kneeling right in front of his brother. - Jon! Do you hear me?!




Luckily, he heard the Gryffindor grunt quietly, meaning he was still conscious. The boy rolled around on the ground, trying to lift himself up of the ground. You could see the arm he has fallen onto really hurt him, as he groaned in pain when he moved it. If Ramsay has actually managed to break Jon's arm, his sudden departure at the hands of Robb Stark was going to happen sooner than expected.

  * Mr. Stark, are you alright? - the Transfiguration teacher asked, having made his way towards the student. - Can you move your arm?

  * I can – he replied – but it still hurts.

  * Well, at least it's not broken – the man said. - That's a good news. Can you get up?




Jon tried to do it himself, but Theon and Sam have already grabbed him by the shoulders, helping the boy get back on his feet. Never before did Robb think he'd see the Slytherin so genuinely concerned over his younger brother. After all, most of their interactions were usually limited to mutual unfriendliness and spiteful remarks on both sides. Honestly, he was surprised Theon still hasn't commented on the situation, but apparently, even he was too mature to joke about Ramsay's vicious excuse of a prank.

  * The four of you will come with me – professor Lannister said, gesturing at the four boys. - I need to find out what exactly has happened in here.




That said, he turned towards the crowd of students, who were still watching the entire scene unfold with curiosity.

  * What are you still doing here?! - he asked them, clearly annoyed with their behaviour. - The show's over already! Go back to your dormitories! Now!




Hearing the teacher's angry tone, most of the gawkers have turned back to leave, not wanting to end up with negative points for their respective houses, but the man was not done yet.

  * Also, you - he said, pointing to a random Slytherin student. - Do you know Ramsay Bolton?

  * Only by sight – the girl replied.

  * That's enough for me. If you see him, tell him to show up in my office as soon as possible. I'm afraid there's a thing or two I need to discuss with mr. Bolton.




The random Slytherin nodded his head and left along with the rest of students, leaving only professor Lannister and the four boys in the courtyard.

  * There's no point in standing here – the man said, turning towards them. - Let's head off to my office, shall we?



  * Professor Lannister – Robb replied, surprised with the suggestion – shouldn't you report this to the headmistress?

  * The less this old harpy knows the better – the teacher replied with an innocent smile. - Follow me, boys.




God bless you, you drunken dwarf. The world needs heroes just like you.

So, what exactly did happen between Jon and Ramsay that ended up with Robb's little brother hanging down from fifteen feet above by his now useless school robes? Well, according to the Gryffindor, it might have looked like this:

  * Sam and I were just simply hanging out around the school, when Bolton and his two minions approached us. He asked if I'm Robb's baby brother, and I replied that I am and why would he care about that. He said something about being Robb's old friend, and I knew he was up to something, so I just rolled my eyes and turned around to leave. That's when he grabbed my wrist. I told him to leave me, but he wouldn't listen. Sam has also tried to say something, but that Slytherin girl, Miranda or something like this, told him to shut up and called him a pig. I've asked what does he want from us, and he replied that he still hasn't forgotten about that one time when I've hit him in the face with a snowball... oh, right. I should probably mention, I have hit him in the face with a snowball once in defense of my brother. That's a really long story. Also, he said he has some unfinished business with Robb and he wants him to remember how much he is really worth, so I've told him he is wrong and Robb is not a loser. He just laughed and told me “Robb is a loser and so are you.” The next thing I remember is that he flicked his wand at me... and the next moment I was hanging down from the wall.




The office went quiet for a moment. Robb's gaze ventured from Jon to Samwell, then Theon and then professor Lannister. He didn't seem too surprised by the boy's testimony, almost as if he expected such a backstory. Still, you could clearly make out the look of annoyance on his face. Contrary to the headmistress Arryn, he didn't seem to be a huge fan of the Slytherin.

  * Is that all? - he asked calmly.

  * Well... - the boy replied hesitantly – it's not, but...I don't know. It's not that important anyway.




Robb could feel why Jon didn't want to share whatever was on his mind. He didn't seem to have a problem talking about anything that Ramsay has done to him. A bigger problem would be repeating the Slytherin's threats about someone he cared for, let's say... his older brother?

  * Say it – Robb replied immediately with no hint of fear in his voice.




He wasn't afraid of what Ramsay had to say to him. Not anymore.

  * Really – Jon said in an almost begging tone, looking at the Hufflepuff – it was nothing important. You don't need to hear that.



  * Jon – the teacher added – if it's something bad, we need to know about it. Otherwise, we won't be able to prevent it from happening.




The boy didn't seem too convinced, but eventually he sighed and raised his head, looking Robb straight into the eyes.

  * He wanted me to tell you that if you come to the match against Slytherin, he would personally make sure you won't make it to the end without your face beaten into a pulp by his Bludger, and that his smile was going be the last thing you see before you wake up in the Hospital Wing two weeks later with all of your teeth missing.




Hearing that, professor Lannister huffed loudly and stood up from his chair, walking off towards the mini bar standing atop of his chest of drawers.

  * I really need a drink – he said, picking up a crystal flask with some clear red liquid.



  * Who does he think he is?! - Theon burst out suddenly, clearly outraged with Ramsay's action. - He can't just treat you like that! If he wanted to say something, why wouldn't he say it to Robb's face?!

  * He did – Robb replied, completely emotionless. - He came up to me after the match I've won and told me pretty much the same thing.

  * Holy crap, Robb!




Samwell tried to remind Theon of a teacher's presence in the room with a quick shush, but then again, said teacher had no problem drinking in front of his students. He couldn't care less about profanities being spoken in front of him, especially if they were spoken about Ramsay Bolton.

  * Why didn't you tell us?! - the Slytherin continued.

  * There was no need to – Robb replied. - I didn't even think it might come to... that.

  * I might need to have a talk with your uncle – professor Lannister added suddenly, standing up from behind his desk once more to have a walk around the office. - This is just insane. We can't let anyone treat our students like this.

  * Well, could you ban him from playing during the next Quidditch game? - Jon suggested. - He did threaten Robb. That is enough of a reason to do so.

  * I wish I could – the dwarf said. - Only the headmaster or the Slytherin captain could do so, and we know how Lysa would react if I told her about what happened today. Ramsay would probably lose ten points for his house, while all of you would get at least forty and a detention. There has to be another way.

  * I could ask the Slytherin captain if she could do it – Theon suggested. - She seems nice. I bet she could help us if we explained it all to her.

  * I want Ramsay to play against me – Robb added, out of nowhere.




Everyone present at the moment turned towards the Hufflepuff, looking at him as if he has lost his mind. Jon was the first to speak.

  * Robb, you've heard what he said about you.

  * Yes, I have – the brown-haired boy replied. - I want him to do it. I want him to try. I want him to feel like he could anything to me, just so that the pain of his defeat would be even worse. I want him to know that you don't simply mess with my family and get away with it. I will make sure Ramsay loses the match if it was the last thing I ever do.




There was no immediate response to Robb's words. Everyone just stared at him in shock. Well, he did just declare a full-on war against Ramsay Bolton, which was as close to suicide as one could get. Someone would've probably started to argue with the boy about his decision, but that's when a knocking sound could be heard. Everyone knew what it meant. Ramsay has arrived. Professor Lannister took one more sip from the flask he was holding in his hand and sat back behind the desk, quickly hiding the alcohol in one of the drawers.

  * Come in!




The door opened, and as expected, Ramsay Bolton came inside. He seemed rather confused about the situation (or maybe he just pretended to be), but when his gaze lingered on Robb for a moment, the Hufflepuff could clearly see a vicious sparkle inside of them. Ramsay knew he was in trouble, and surely he was trying to come up with a way to get out of it as quickly as possible.

  * Good evening, mr. Bolton – professor Lannister greeted the boy. - I would've offered you a seat, but I'm pretty sure mr. Stark needs it a bit more... you know, after all that has happened today.

  * Why did you call me in, professor? - the Slytherin asked, cutting straight to the point.




While Ramsay himself enjoyed toying with his victims before revealing his true intentions, it didn't seem like much for him when the roles have been reversed.

  * I called you in – the man continued – because only about fifteen minutes ago it has been reported to me that mr. Stark was found hanging down from the sconce in the middle courtyard by his school robes. Also, it has been reported that the person standing behind this entire masquerade was you. Is that right, mr. Bolton?

  * Well... - Ramsay began.




For once in his entire life, he had no idea what to say. Clearly, he expected that the entire incident would result in yet another visit in the headmistress's office. Suffice to say, he was way off about this one.

  * “Well” what, mr. Bolton? - professor Lannister asked, growing impatient with the boy. - Did you do it or not?

  * I did! - the boy replied. - Okay?! I did it, but it's not like I've had any other choice left. The truth is, Robb and his bunch of goons have been bullying me ever since last year, because I had revealed that he lied about his sorting to his parents. The younger one, Jon, has hit me in the face with a snowball with a stone hidden inside of it when we were leaving for the winter break. I could've lost an eye because of him! And Robb?! He is even worse. Just last week he has cornered me in the hallway and threatened me. He said I smelled like a sewer, and that no matter how good the rest of my team is, they're going to lose because of me. I don't know about you, professor, but to me it's definitely not a right representation of the school's spirit of good sportsmanship and fair play. You might want to do something about it.




See, if Ramsay has said the exact same thing in front of Lysa Arryn, she would gladly knock Hufflepuff down a few points in the school's ranking and maybe even banned Robb from playing Quidditch at school. Professor Lannister, however, was nowhere as corrupt as the headmistress, and instead he just smiled indulgently, hearing the boy's monologue.

  * Mr. Bolton – he said – I think you have misunderstood me. We are not here to hear your version of the story. We're here to decide what kind of punishment would be enough for you. To me, fifteen points for using magic against other students and ten more for using threats against them sounds fair. Don't you think so, mr. Bolton?

  * Twenty five points?! - Ramsay burst out, momentarily losing his composure. - That's-that's... but that's not fair! I didn't do anything! It was all Robb's fault! How come he doesn't get punished for it?!

  * You want to make it thirty? - professor Lannister asked, clearly taking pleasure in watching the boy get even more angry with him by the minute. - Fine, thirty it is. For lying towards the teacher.




If not for how serious the entire situation was, Robb would've surely found the downright broken look on Bolton's face funny. The Slytherin tried to say something else, but the Transfiguration teacher cut him off quickly.

  * You say the four of them have been bullying you, huh? Somehow, I have never seen you hanging down from any of the Hogwarts walls in passing, and it also wasn't you who had his personal matters revealed in front of the entire school. You might've fooled Arryn, but you won't fool me. Now go, before you get yourself into even more trouble.




In that moment, all the pretended humility faded off Ramsay's face, leaving only a hateful glare. Without a word more, he stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

  * I might need to talk to this kid's parent – professor Lannister added after the boy has left. - He could use some anger management sessions.




As the boys have finally left the teacher's office, leaving him to the unfinished flask of wine, Robb had quite a few choice words to say about Ramsay. Not even Jon himself felt so infuriated by the Slytherin, and mind you, he was the one who was hanging from the courtyard's wall not so long ago.

  * Did you see the look he gave professor Lannister?! I swear, this guy makes me sick...

  * It's okay now, Robb – Sam tried to calm the boy down. - Did you not hear how many points Slytherin has lost because of him. Ramsay will surely think twice before he decides to do something to any of us ever again.

  * He won't! - the Hufflepuff snapped back. - I know Ramsay, and I know he won't stop now just because he has lost a few points for his house. He doesn't give a crap about his house or his housemates. All he wants to do is hurt me or my friends by any means necessary.

  * Robb is right – Theon added. - Ramsay must be pissed off about today, and if I know him, I bet he's already trying to come up with a revenge plan. He might play it safe for a little while, but until then, we need to keep an eye out for each other... as much as it hurts me to do so in a few instances.




That said, he looked over at Jon in pure disgust. Everything was back to normal at Hogwarts... Actually, wait! No! It wasn't! If there was one word to describe how Robb felt like at the moment, it would be “anxious.” He knew Ramsay wouldn't cease his attacks until he gets his final revenge on him, and the upcoming match would be a great place to do it. These whole two years of the conflict between the two of them would come to an end during this match, only there would be no runner ups in this competition. Only the winner, and Robb knew for sure it wasn't going to be Ramsay. Not until he's still around.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all; yes, I did get the title idea from Hamilton. It's genuinely hard to think of a good title for a chapter. Other than that, it was fun to write Ramsay losing control of the narrative for the first time in about forty chapters (did I really write that much?) After all, what the sixth season of GoT has taught us is that Ramsay's biggest flaw is how he's quick to underestimate his opponent, and none of his opponents are ones to be underestimated. Especially pissed off Robb. That said, Ramsay's not done with them. He still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and he's not afraid to use them. Theon was right. They really need to watch out for each other. Ramsay's out for revenge, and revenge he's going to get. Also, I really like writing Tyrion. Hope I get the chance to do that more often.
> 
> Next week (I mean, I hope so): Drama ensues in the Quidditch team before the Hufflepuff vs Slytherin match


	19. The F Word

To say that the next few weeks have been stressful for Robb would be much of an understatement as to how nerve wracking the wait towards the final match against the Slytherins truly was for the boy. Not only did he have to put up with daily practice sessions, which have only been getting harder and harder with each day, and the increased amount of schoolwork as the year-end exams were slowly approaching. Now, he also had to be on a constant watch of Ramsay Bolton, just in case the Slytherin has decided to hurt one of his closest friends, and it was only a matter of time before he tries to do so again. It was difficult to find Robb not accompanied by Theon, Jon or Sam these days. If there was one effect of Ramsay's threats which could be considered vaguely positive, it was how much closer it has brought the four boys to each other. They knew that if they stuck together, the risk of Ramsay's wrath reaching one of them seemed smaller. They didn't just stop at the breakfast meeting like before. They would meet up before the lessons, in between the lessons and even after the lessons. Actually, despite the unfortunate circumstances, Robb enjoyed spending time together with the rest of the boys. There was no denying that the four of them have made for a solid team. Even Theon and Jon, who didn't cease their fights even under the threat of Ramsay Bolton, seemed to have grown a bit more fond of each other during those few weeks. Their constant back and forth seemed to be more like an old couple bickering than an outright conflict. Part of Robb hoped that it would remain the same even after he has dealt with the Slytherin, but he knew it might as well end up like it did last year when he thought he has finally found himself a long-standing group of friends.

Still, there was life outside Ramsay Bolton for Robb. He couldn't just hide from him the entire time. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel scared of the Slytherin. Threatened? Yes. Worried? Yes, but definitely not scared. Besides, there was still a match for him to win coming up, so hiding himself under the bed was not an option. There were only a few days left for the Hufflepuff team to practice, so the atmosphere in the team was growing more tense with every session. Not everything was perfect yet, and Brienne could see it. Especially the Porskoff Ploy technique, which was supposed to be their ace in the hole, was nowhere near polished. Robb didn't think like it would be a problem for him to repeat something he has basically done right during his first match against Gryffindor. As per usual, he was wrong.

  * Stark! - Brienne yelled out in annoyance after yet another fruitless attempt at using the tactic. - I didn't allow you to stay on the team, so you could lose every ball for us! You need to focus!

  * I'm trying – Robb replied.

  * Not hard enough, I see – the blonde remarked and turned her attention towards the other players.




While he couldn't deny being upset at how Brienne chastized him for his gameplay in front of the entire team, he also couldn't deny the fact that she was right. So far, he seemed to be the clear weak link of their team. He has obviously improved a lot ever since he has joined the team, but he still wasn't up there with Brienne or Irri. If he truly wanted to defeat Bolton, he needed to work harder. Otherwise, the Slytherin's threats might have as well come true.

However, there were a few proven ways for Robb to blow off steam after an entire evening of practice and studying. One which always seemed to work was spending an hour or so with his friends. In particular, he really enjoyed his evening talks with Talisa which the two of them would often engage in before heading off to sleep. Luckily, the girl seemed to be as much of a night owl as him, so he could always hope to have a lengthy conversation with her. It felt nice to have her back at his side. Of course, he was glad to see the rest of his friends has also decided to forgive all that he's done, but Talisa has always been somehow special to him. He liked talking to her. He felt like no matter what he said, she would understand him. There was not a lot of people Robb could say so about. Only Jon and Theon. Still, with Talisa it was a different kind of feeling. One he couldn't put his name on just yet.

  * And what did you say? - the girl asked as the two of them have been making their way back to the common room down the hallway.

  * I didn't say anything – Robb replied. - I mean, Brienne was kind of right. I should be giving my best on the pitch, and I'm not sure if it was my best.

  * I think you're being way too harsh on yourself, Robb – Talisa said with a bit of concern in her voice. - I've seen you playing. You are very good. You have even managed to score two goals for your team.

  * One... – the brown-haired boy corrected her. - I know I am not a bad player. That's not the point. I'm not going to rest on my laurels, when I know I can do better than that. Our team has been working so hard to get there, and I'm not going to ruin it for them.

  * You won't ruin anything – the Hufflepuff girl replied, placing her hand on Robb's back. - Look, I know you're under a lot of pressure, but you can't think that way about yourself. You might not be the best player on your team, but you don't need to be. You're only in your second year.

  * So is Torr, but I don't see him messing up every single time.




Hearing that, Talisa stopped and grabbed Robb by his shoulders, looking straight into his sky blue eyes.

  * Robb, you're going to do well. You're hard-working, dedicated and extremely talented. You just need to stop worrying so much. It will get you nowhere. Just this one time, try to believe in yourself. It might sound stupid to you, but it could help you.




As much as he wanted to say anything, Robb has found himself unable to speak. His mind was too focused on how close the girl was to him to let his body function properly. He probably would've continued to stare at her like an idiot for a bit longer, but then he heard someone grunt nearby, interrupting them. As he turned around, he was surprised to see Renly Baratheon standing in front of them.

  * Renly?

  * Hi, Robb – the dark-haired boy replied. - I hope I'm not interrupting.




The boy and his female friend began bumbling out responses, which must've sounded like an incoherent mess because of them speaking over each other. However, the message was clear. No, he did not.

  * Glad to hear – Renly said, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. - I didn't want to bother you at such a late hour, but there's one thing I needed to talk to you about. Do you have a minute?




The Hufflepuff didn't know how to respond to the question. He wanted to help Renly. After all, he owed him a favor after he had helped Theon with his living situation. Still, he didn't want to leave in the middle of his conversation with Talisa. He looked over at the girl, but she just smiled and nodded her head.

  * It's okay – she replied kindly. - We'll finish talking tomorrow.




That said, she walked off towards the common room entrance, leaving the two boys on their own.

  * Are the two of you... - the Slytherin began, before Robb cut him off.

  * ...just friends. What brings you here, Renly?

  * I'm here because I didn't know who I should ask for help. I mean, I could've always asked Margaery, but I know that sooner or later she would spill the beans. Besides, I know that the two of you have always been quite friendly with each other, so I thought that maybe if I asked you, you could help me.

  * I'll try – Robb replied – but what is it?

  * Do you happen to know what was going on with Loras recently?




The question surprised him. What was going on with Loras recently? Was there anything going on with Loras recently? He seemed to be doing just fine. Maybe he did seem a bit pissed off about something lately, but it didn't strike Robb as anything to worry about. Loras seemed as fine as always... actually, no. Scrap that. Now that Robb has thought of it for a while longer, he could see why Renly was worried about him. If there was one person on the team who was doing quite as bad as him during the practice, it was Loras. At least Robb was trying to keep his head on the game. Loras, on the other hand, seemed to be absolutely distrait as of lately. Before, Robb has simply brushed it off as an effect of being tired and overworked. Now, however, he wasn't so sure about it. It seemed like there was something bothering the Tyrell boy recently.

  * What do you mean by that? - Robb asked, expecting further explanations.

  * See – Renly said – I feel like me and him have really drifted apart during the past few weeks. I mean, I don't even know what happened. It all has changed somewhere around the time you've won against the Gryffindor. I've tried to talk to him, ask him what's going on, but he's been avoiding me. I thought that maybe you might know what's going on with him. I'm really worried about him.




There was a hint of warmth that Robb has caught up on as he heard Renly speak of Loras. He knew that the two of them were close, but only now did he realize how deep their friendship truly was. In a way, they reminded him of his own relationship with Theon. He might have only known the boy for about a year and a half, but he would kill if anyone has even dared to touch him. Still, Robb has already taken notice of the fact that Renly and Loras's relationship has been rather strained as of lately. He still remembered how has Loras stormed off the dressing room at the mere mention of the Slytherin spending time with Brienne. It was almost as if he was jealous of his best friend spending time with anyone else but him.

  * I really wish I could help you – Robb replied – but I don't know anything about it. To be honest, we didn't even talk that much recently. Perhaps I should find out what's going on. He has been acting kind of weird throughout the past few weeks. I could tell you if I found out anything important.

  * Thanks, Robb – Renly said relieved. - I really wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him.

  * Neither do I.




Making a promise was the easiest part. Keeping it, however, was going to be way harder for Robb to do. He knew Loras quite well by now. It wasn't as easy to get him to confess his personal struggles as, let's say... Robb himself. Whenever Loras was pissed off, he would let the entire world know how angry he was like the drama queen he was, yet if asked about it, he would tell the person to mind their own business. Only now did Robb come around to realize how easy he had it with Theon. Imagine Renly's everyday struggles with the grumpy Tyrell.

Speaking of Theon, ever since the incident with Jon happened, the Slytherin has become some sort of a bodyguard for Robb. He followed him nearly everywhere: escorting him to the classroom, to the Quidditch pitch for the evening practice sessions, even to the toilets. Robb didn't particularly mind his presence, yet despite Theon's greatest intentions, he wasn't sure if he would be much of a help in a faceoff with Ramsay. That, however, didn't change that fact that the boy was going to remain his bodyguard whether he wanted him to be one or not.

  * You know you don't have to accompany me to every single practice session – Robb remarked the next day as they were both headed towards the Quidditch pitch.

  * Of course, I do – Theon replied. - What if Ramsay has decided to get his revenge on you right here, right now? Who would be here to protect you?

  * Well... Brienne, Rakharo, Irri, Harrion, Torrhen, Lor-owch! Hey, that hurt!

  * That's what you get for disrespecting your bodyguard!




Robb couldn't help but smile, seeing his friend's reaction. Maybe he really underestimated him? His dedication alone would be enough to stop Bolton from whatever he was planning to do.

As to how well did the practice go to him this time around, well, let's just say he wasn't the team's weak link anymore. He was surprised to see how out of practice Loras has gotten over the course of the past few weeks. The most important thing for a Keeper was to be able to keep focus during the match, which has become something of a problem to Loras. It was obvious he had a thousand things occupying his mind, but none of them was Quidditch. At one point during the practice, Robb has noticed that the boy sending a lot of looks towards the stands. He didn't realize why, at first, but after a while he realized what was the problem. On the stands, right next to Theon, sat Renly. Robb didn't know if he came here to make sure if he would get the informations out of Loras or simply couldn't wait until they are delivered to him, but he was there. It didn't seem to make his friend's situation any better as his gameplay was only getting worse with each passing second.

  * Tyrell! – Brienne yelled out angrily as the boy let yet another Quaffle fly through the hoop. - What is up with you?! Get your head in the game! Do you think we are going to defeat the Slytherins while playing like that?!

  * No – the blond snarled quietly.




Robb felt bad for him. He knew how it felt like to be chastised in front of the rest of the team, regardless of how much you tried to put up a good match. That said, he has found it really hard to empathize with Loras that day as during this very practice session, his gameplay has taken an unexpected turn for the better. He wasn't even sure why, but everything seemed to be going his way. They've even managed to correctly execute the Porskoff Ploy a few times. It turned out Talisa was right. He really just needed to stop worrying about the match and believe in himself.

  * Nice job, Stark – he heard someone say as Brienne announced a few minutes of break.




As the boy turned around, he noticed Irri standing right behind him accompanied by Rakharo, Harrion and, to the boy's surprise, Torrhen. Throughout one year of having practice sessions together, Robb's relationship with his roommate has surely gotten more peaceful than it was before, but it was obvious they weren't exactly friends yet. That's why he was so surprised to see him amongst the rest of his teammates, not running away from the conversation anymore.

  * Thanks – Robb replied. - I was trying my best. I didn't want to disappoint captain Tarth yet again.

  * You shouldn't worry that much about what Brienne says – Harrion said. - She's only acting like that because she's nervous about the upcoming match.

  * It is known – Irri added.




Note: she would say that _a lot._

  * You haven't been with us after the match in the Gryffindor Tower – Rakharo began – but she had some really nice things to say about you.

  * Really?

  * Yes – Rakharo replied, and then added – don't tell her I said that. I'm pretty sure she would beat my ass about it.




Robb only chuckled in response. He really could imagine that happening. Rakharo was no weakling, but he was no contest to the “big woman.”

  * He's cute – Irri added out of nowhere. - That little bodyguard of yours. He follows you everywhere, doesn't he?

  * Yeah – the boy replied, slightly flustered by the observation – he kind of insists on it.

  * Who would've thought our little Robb Stark could twist Yara Greyjoy's younger brother around his finger like that?




Robb could feel his cheeks burning up as the girl said that. The way she said it, it sounded as if Theon was his boyfriend who needed to follow his needy girlfriend everywhere she goes. It wasn't like that. In fact, he would've preferred not to bother the Slytherin with coming to each one of his trainings. It was him who insisted on it... also, he wasn't his boyfriend!

  * So – Torrhen began, unexpectedly – are the two of you like... best friends now, or something?

  * Pretty much – Robb replied.




The boy didn't reply, but by his expression you could see that he was surprised by what he must've considered a sudden development. After all, he had no idea of Robb's friendship with Theon until the day Ramsay revealed the truth in front of everyone, and the two of them have fallen apart right afterwards. It must've seemed to him like it all has happened in a matter of only a few months, even when the truth was much different. It was a perfect testament to how far both Hufflepuffs have drifted apart from each other. Part of Robb still hoped that the things between the could someday be like they used to back in the first grade, but another part of him felt like that ship has sailed away a long time ago.

  * Guys – he said, noticing a certain person has been missing from the group – do you have any idea where Loras is?

  * I think I've seen him leaving towards the dressing rooms – Rakharo replied.

  * I thought he would leave earlier – Harrion added with a chuckle – considering that Baratheon's sitting over there.

  * Now we know why he couldn't keep his head on the game.

  * It's not funny, you guys – Irri said, annoyed with her teammates' wisecracks. - Something serious must've happened between them.

  * Or he's simply being a jealous prick to Renly – Harrion replied quickly. - Look, I really do like Loras, but we all know he's a bit of a drama queen. Surely he's still bitter that everyone's joking about Renly and Brienne.

  * Why would he be jealous of that? - Irri countered.




She was about to say something else, but the weird noise coming from the changing rooms stopped her.

  * Let me go, you asshole!




Somehow, Robb felt like it wasn't a good sign. Indeed, it wasn't. As he turned around, he noticed no one else but Ramsay Bolton leaving the changing rooms, or rather getting pulled out of them by a very angry Loras Tyrell. What was he doing there? Robb had no idea, but one thing was clear. Ramsay was not there to make peace with anyone.

  * What's going on in here? - Harrion asked as the group has made its way towards the boys.

  * Robb, don't change your clother after the practice – Loras warned. - I've caught this little bastard messing with them in the changing room. He must've sneaked in while we were playing.




The boy couldn't say he was surprised by the fact Ramsay has decided to use Robb's lack of attention and get his revenge for those thirty points he had lost for his house. What surprised him, however, was how blunt he was being about it. Usually, the Slytherin would engage in some intricate effort to bring him down without doing himself any harm in the process. Still, after two years of continuous fighting, Robb has discovered that Ramsay wasn't invincible. It didn't take much for the Slytherin to lose his temper and start making stupid decisions, in hopes that it would affect his enemy in any way. Now there was nothing else he could do but stare at the Hufflepuff with pure hatred in his eyes.

  * Why am I not surprised? - Robb replied, visibly annoyed by the Slytherin's appearance. - And here I thought you would've had something better to do than to follow me and my friends around. Is your life really that pathetic?

  * Shut up, Stark! – Ramsay growled in anger. - I wouldn't even be here if not for that stupid stunt you've pulled out on me with the dwarf professor.

  * And what was your revenge plan this time? Steal my clothes? Come on, that's just sad by now.

  * That wasn't my plan – the dark-haired boy replied. - I enchanted your clothes so that they would give you a horrendous rash all over your body. So sad that now I won't get to see you jumping around the hallway with your red, spotted butt out. I'm pretty sure it would've been an unforgettable sight.




Okay, Robb wasn't that hard to break either. In fact, he would've probably thrown himself right at Ramsay and choked him if not for the fact that the others have arrived to the scene.

  * What's going on in here? - Brienne asked as she appeared on the scene, followed closely by Theon and Renly.

  * What is _he_ doing in here?! - Theon added seeing his former roommate.

  * Apparently, Robb and that Bolton boy over here have some unfinished business with each other – Rakharo explained, vivisbly confused about the situation – so he has sneaked into our changing room and jinxed Robb's clothes to give him a rash... or at least would've done so if Loras didn't catch him.




Brienne didn't reply, yet you could see on her face how appaled she was with Ramsay's behaviour. One of the things she valued the most in her teammates was fair play, so obviously the Slytherin's action have struck a wrong chord with her. Theon, on the other hand, didn't hold back on Ramsay, using a few choice words Robb's mother surely wouldn't have appreciated coming from the boy's mouth.

  * Why would you even do that? - Renly asked. - I thought Arianne has made herself clear the last time. One more mishap and you're out. Don't you remember?

  * I do, Baratheon! - Ramsay snapped in response. - I remember what Arianne has told me, but what did you expect me to do? Just sit there doing nothing and watch as these losers like Stark or the young Karstark overtake us?




He was about to say something else, but he got interrupted by a very angry Harrion Karstark grabbing him by the collar of his shirt with a murderous expression.

  * Call my brother or Stark losers once more, and I'll make sure you don't leave this pitch without a black eye or two.




So far Robb didn't get to see Harrion angry. He has always struck him as a rather laid-back person. Now, however, that he saw the older Karstark in action, he has made a mental note never to piss him off. This wouldn't end well for him.

  * Karstark, let him go – captain Tarth ordered.

  * Didn't you hear what this little worm has said about my brother? - the blond asked, not loosening his grip on the boy's collar even a bit.

  * I did, but our match against Slytherin is in a week. I do not need us to get in anymore trouble, expecially because of someone like him – she said with a tone full of superiority. - Release him.




Harrion did release Ramsay from his grasp, using so much force that he almost knocked the boy over. Brienne continued.

  * Yes, I am fully aware of the fact that people like you consider our house to be “The House of Losers” or whatever, and I am fine with it. I'm trying not to listen to what people say behind my back. However, I am not going to let anyone get away with calling any of my teammates losers. It's because of these people that Hufflepuff has reached its highest score in fifteen years, and the fact that you've felt threatened enough to try and sabotage Stark only proves me right. Also, I happen to know Arianne Martell quite well, and I know she won't be too pleased to hear that one of her teammates has been trying to sabotage their competition. You're free to go... for now. Just know that if any of us notices you lurking anywhere nearby the pitch during our training sessions, I will make sure you don't even get to take a sit on the broomstick during the upcoming match, get it?

  * Was that a threat? - Ramsay asked, more intrigued than downright threatened.

  * If I didn't make myself clear enough... yes, it was.




That's exactly when Ramsay's trademark eerie smile, the one Robb knew so well, yet was strangely absent from this conversation, has appeared back on his face.

  * And, tell me, why would I take threats from a man-girl like you?




Before anyone else could react, someone's hand has already slapped Ramsay from behind.

  * She's the captain of the team, asshole! - Loras snapped at him. - Have some respect for her!

  * Don't touch me, you filthy faggot!




The entire pitch went silent. No one even seemed to know how to react to the Slytherin's words. After all, this was a very heavy-handed insult. To call someone a... truth be told, Robb wasn't even sure if he's heard that word before. He was only twelve, after all. He came from a very civilized family, where no swearing was tolerated. Every swear word Robb has ever learned has come from Arya (she was only eight, but he vocabulary was surprisingly extensive) or the boys from his class, and he was pretty sure he hasn't heard that one being used before. Still, judging by everyone's reactions and the look on Loras's face, it wasn't a word a cultured person would use.

  * W-what did you just call me? - the blond asked, his voice breaking slightly.

  * A _faggot_ – the Slytherin repeated with a vicious smile on his face. - I mean, come on. Do you really think that none of us can see you drooling over Baratheon? Now that's just pathetic.

  * You're disgusting, Bolton – Renly cut in, clearly angry with the way the Slytherin was referring to his best friend. - Loras is not drooling over me. We're only friends. Besides, you're wrong. Loras likes girls, if that's what you're getting at. We've talked about it before. You would have to be an idiot to think that we're going to believe you.

  * Oh, really? - Ramsay asked, faux-innocently. - Weren't you and your boyfriend going through a rough period recently? Didn't you ever wonder why Loras was so mad with you, when you have done nothing wrong? Well, here's a plausible answer. He's freaking gay. He's so gay that he can't even take the thought of you flirting with some other girl, because you're not interested in him the way he would like you to be.



  * Look – the older Slytherin began – I have no idea where did you take that insane conspiracy theory of yours from, but you're wrong. There's nothing going on between me and Loras. Yes, we're friends, best friends even, but that's it. Nothing more.

  * Are you sure about that?

  * Yes.

  * Well, in that case, why don't you just ask your beloved Loras about it?




One quick look into Loras's direction, however, has made it perfectly clear that it was not a good idea to do so. For a moment Robb felt like he has seen a bit of panic in the blond's eyes. Why would he be afraid? He knew Loras. Surely, he would've noticed if he was... not really into girls.

  * Oh, come on – the dark-haired Slytherin said. - That's just stupid.

  * Why? Look, if Loras is really not a faggot, just like you've said, then surely he won't have a problem being asked about it.




While Renly scoffed at the proposition at first, he turned his gaze towards Loras, most likely not wanting to deal with this ridiculous situation any longer.

  * Loras – he began – tell him it isn't true. Tell him you're not gay.




Still, no reply came back.

  * Loras, come on – Renly repeated. - Just say it.




Everyone seemed to have realized by now that no reply was going to come back at all. Still, Renly asked one more time, hopefully.

  * Loras...

  * See? - Ramsay butted in. - I've told you he's a fag.




How could he possibly sound so cheerful while destroying someone else's life? Robb felt sick just by the mere sound of the Slytherin's voice. Honestly, just watching the entire scene unfold felt like a torture. He couldn't possibly imagine how Loras must've felt at the moment. Well, he did suffer from a similar incident exactly a year ago, also courtesy of Ramsay Bolton, but at least in his case he could've attributed it in part to some wicked sense of cosmic justice. Loras, however, did not deserve to get called out like that in front of everyone. Still, Robb couldn't deny he was surprised with the reveal. After all, it was Loras they were talking about. His friend and his teammate. He knew him well by know. There was no way he could be...

  * Loras – Renly stuttered out as he finally realized the truth about his friends – I-I'm sorry, man. I-I-I didn't know you were... you know, like-




There was no denying it must've been a painful conversation for him as well. He didn't mean any harm. He really has thought Loras liked girls. After all, they did talk about girls. It must've meant something, right? He tried to say something else, hoping to exlain himself, but he didn't finish as Loras stopped him right away.

  * I'm so fucking sick of this – he said, immediately storming out towards the exit. - I'm out!




With Loras gone from the scene of crime, all eyes were back at Ramsay, smiling from ear to ear like a freaking champion. Only Robb's gaze was still stuck on Renly. He could see his devastated expression as his best friend was leaving. He was trying to help him, yet accidentally, he has only managed to make things worse. It didn't take long for Robb to realize what he should do in such situation. He didn't want Renly to feel alone, like he did when Ramsay pulled this stunt on him last year. A few seconds later, Robb was out of the building, searching for his lost teammate. In the background he could only hear Ramsay scowling in pain. He could only hope Harrion was responsible for this. If not, well, Bolton was going to have to deal with him.

He didn't have to search far. The Pitch was located remotely far from the other parts of the castle, so the only place Loras could hide in was the Forbidden Forest. He has found the blond on his way back to the castle. That was the difference between the two of them. When Ramsay has revealed everyone the truth about Robb's sorting, the boy has curled himself up into a ball and started crying. Loras, however, was not that easy to break. Of course, it could've been due to an age gap between them, but personality was also an important factor.

  * Loras, wait! - Robb gasped out.




Somehow, despite the fact that he was running, he has found it hard to catch up with the Tyrell boy.

  * Loras! Please, stop! Talk to me!

  * There is nothing to talk about – the blond replied without even turning his face towards the younger friend.




The slight crack in his voice has made it clear how he must've felt back about the whole situation. It was not good.

  * There is! - Robb urged. - No one on the team is going to care about it!

  * I don't care if they're going to care about it! – Loras burst out suddenly, stopping and then turning towards the boy. - I don't give a crap about what these idiots think about me!

  * Then why did you run away?




The older Hufflepuff only bit his lip with a murderous glare and turned away, walking off towards the castle. Of all the times he could've used it, why was it now that he has decided to think logically?

  * Wait, Loras! I'm so sorry! I understand it! I've run away too when Ramsay has told everyone about my lies!




These words have prompted the blond to stop once more and turn towards Robb.

  * Robb – he began, clearly trying to withhold his emotions. - I get that you're trying to help me or whatever, but you have got no idea of how I'm feeling right now.

  * I don't claim that I do – the brown-haired boy replied. - I'm sorry about what happened on the pitch. It wouldn't have come to that if you hadn't tried to stop him from hexing my clothes in the changing room.

  * Oh, don't you try to blame yourself for it now, you idiot – Loras replied, rolling his eyes at his housemate. - We both know that the only one to blame is that little rat Bolton.

  * Yeah, he really is trash for doing that.




There was a brief moment of silence. Good. Silence was better than running after Loras and yelling out apologies. Still, Robb didn't know what else should he say now. He has never had a conversation with someone who was, well... or rather had a conversation revolving strictly around it. He didn't mind the fact that Loras preferred boys to girls. It wasn't up to him to judge him on it. Still, it did seem kind of strange to him. He had no idea how this whole liking-boys thing worked. After all, boys were supposed to be with girls, weren't they? He really wanted to help, but he didn't know how.

  * So... is what Ramsay said true? About you not really liking girls?

  * No – Loras replied – I mean... I really don't know. Maybe it is true? Would it be that bad if it was?

  * And the thing about Renly? - the Stark boy continued. - Was that-

  * It wasn't – the blond cut him short. - Ramsay was lying to bring me down even more. I feel nothing towards Renly.




Still, his declaration came off more like as if he was trying to convince himself more than his friend. There was no way he didn't feel anything towards Renly. Robb was a keen observer. He noticed all those prolonged stares between the two of them, the smiles, the small gestures. He didn't need to know that Loras liked boys to notice that there was a suspicious level of affection between the two of them.

  * Loras – he began once more, after a while – you know that no one on the team cares whether you like boys or girls?

  * I sure hope so – the older Hufflepuff replied. - That would wipe off that stupid smile off this Bolton asshole's face.




Robb only smiled in response, glad to see Ramsay's cruelty hasn't managed to extinguish his friend's fighting spirit. The boys' conversation would've probably lasted a while longer if not for the loud sound of footsteps heading their way making itself heard. As they turned around, they noticed Renly making their way towards him. The Tyrell boy only sighed in exasperation, clearly not too keen on having a conversation with his best friend.

  * Just let him explain himself – Robb advised, seeing as Loras was already searching for a way out of the unpleasant situation.




Surprisingly, he listened and remained in place, waiting for the Baratheon to reach them with only an annoyed huff coming out of his mouth. Renly's face was all red, both from having to chase after Loras and from emotions. It must've been a really uncomfortable situation for him as well. After all, he has unknowingly helped Ramsay reveal his best friend's secret... this really felt like the world's worst déjà vu.

  * Loras – the Slytherin began – look, I get that you probably don't want to talk to me right now, but please, let me explain myself.

  * How would that help me now? - the blond replied coldly. - Everyone knows about me already, partially thanks to you.

  * I would've never said that if I had known earlier. Why didn't you tell me, Loras? We're best friends. I thought we were supposed to tell each other about everything.

  * How was I supposed to tell you about it, when I wasn't even sure if that's true?

  * And is it? - Renly asked.




Loras let his head down, not wanting to look his best friend in the eyes.

  * ...it could be.

  * All of it? Like, the stuff Ramsay said about me and-

  * Everything except that one – Loras cut him off. - It was a lie.

  * Oh...




For a moment Robb thought he might've seen a bit of disappointment in Renly's eyes. Still, the Slytherin continued.

  * Just so you know – he said – I'm fine with that. If you want to date guys, then it's your choice and I fully support you... unless the guy is an asshole. I won't support that then.

  * Well, I'm glad to hear that – Loras replied with a hint of a smile on his face – but I'm not even sure if I'm right about it. It might all change one day. I'm still not sure about it.

  * It's alright – the Slytherin nodded his head in response. - Just remember that if there's anything you would ever like to talk about with someone, you can trust me.

  * I'll remember.




There was yet another moment of silence afterwards. Both Loras and Renly remained quiet, but they didn't need to say anything else. It was all clear between the two of them. Robb was really glad they could come to an agreement. He could see how much they cared about each other. It would be a huge loss for them to end such a close friendship only because of Bolton's stupid schemes. Only after a few seconds had he realized that both boys have been looking at him, having finally reminded themselves that Robb was still there.

  * Oh, right – he said. - I think I should go back now. They're probably looking for us already.




That said, he smiled once more towards them and headed off towards the pitch, giving the two some much needed privacy.

It came as no surprise to him when he found out Brienne has left to find the Slytherin captain and tell her about Ramsay's failed plot. However, he was surprised when Torrhen described to him how she slapped the boy across the face when he said something about Loras as they've left the pitch. He didn't expect that of her, yet he couldn't quite blame her. Throughout the year, Ramsay has proven himself to be an insufferable prat time after time. Luckily, it looked like the odds were in favour of the Bolton boy getting booted off the team before the final match.

  * I wonder which shade of red is Ramsay's face going to get once he finds out he won't be able to play against you? - Theon asked cheerfully.




Actually, Robb also wasn't sure how to feel about it. Part of him was glad Ramsay has finally gotten his comeuppance, yet he was kind of sad that nw he won't get to squash him in front of the entire school. Still, he didn't need to do it. Publically humiliating others was what Ramsay thrived on, not Robb. Maybe it was for the best he didn't get to play? At least that way Robb wouldn't end up like his enemy. It's easy to be a bad guy. Being a good guy is way more of a hard work, but in the end it gives much more satisfaction. Sometimes it even pays off in the end. Getting revenge on Ramsay would've made Robb happy for a moment, but seeing karma work its wonders on him was even more satisfying. Now there were only a few things Robb had left to do: perfect the Porskoff Ploy, help his team win the house cup, make things right with the rest of his friends and pass the final exams. Maybe this story did have a happy ending after all?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a person who has witnessed it first hand, I can definitely say being outed by someone in front of others is a highly unpleasant experience for everyone involved, so of course it would be appropriate for someone like Ramsay to go for such a dirty trick. Even for his standards, doing so was low, but that's only yet another stop on his downwards spiral towards becoming a shitty human being. Also, despite the last chapter being called „Bolton Defeated”, it's this one where the Slytherin has finally lost his ongoing battle with Robb. I didn't want for it to end in a big showdown between good and evil during the Slytherin vs Hufflepuff match. I felt like it would be too easy. Robb didn't need that to know he was won over Ramsay. As for Loras and Renly, we're getting there... slowly. Hey, at least one of them is out already. That's a step forward.
> 
> Next week (I mean, I hope so): my longest chapter yet – Hufflepuff vs Slytherin.


	20. Versus Slytherin, or the Porskoff Ploy

The previous year was an awful one for poor Robb. There was no denying it. Incidents like the illegal broomstick race or the constant fights with a mentally unstable headmistress have successfully managed to drag him down during those nightmarish nine months. This year, on the other hand, while far better than the last one (God forbid something like that happens again), was easily the most stressful year of Robb's entire life. Why? Let's break it down one by one. First of all, there was his best friend who wouldn't reply to his letters the entire summer, which turned out to be caused by his father, still mad at Robb's own father for leading an action during which his two oldest sons have died. Then there was also a matter of his friends still hating him after Ramsay had revealed his secrets in front of everyone, including his kind-of childhood crush Talisa. Also, he had to deal with his insane aunt sleeping with his hated Potions teacher, the very same teacher who was giving his mother ridiculously expensive gifts for no reason whatsoever and a bully targeting his best friends and family. That was a lot of things to worry about for a twelve-year-old. Somehow, he has still managed not to go completely bald from having to endure so much stress. Luckily, the year was almost over by now, but there was still one more thing left for Robb to stress over...

The final showdown between the Hufflepuffs and the Slytherins.

Even though the atmosphere has gotten way less tense for Robb after Ramsay was announced not to play in the light of his recent actions, (his reaction was priceless by the way) he still felt like this entire year of trying to be a better person and a better Hufflepuff would come down to this one game. He was aware that no one else might view it the same way. After all, he has already proven he can play during the match against Gryffindor, and he has also already managed to set things right with Wendel and Talisa. Still, it wasn't about what everyone else has thought of him. It was a strictly personal matter. While signing up for the team, Robb has promised himself two things. One: he would smash Ramsay into the ground in front of everyone else. Due to obvious reasons, that wish was going to remain unfulfilled. His second promise, however, might've been the one he could keep. _“Win the House Cup for Hufflepuff.”_ The first match he didn't get to play in. The second one they have won solely thanks to his teammates. The third one, however, was going to be his match. The point difference between them and Slytherin didn't even matter. It was this one match which was going to decide whether the Puffs win the House Cup, and Robb was going to make sure theu do... but how could he do it when his hands wouldn't stop shaking?

  * Nervous? - he heard someone say all of a sudden.




He raised his head, expecting to see either Loras or Rakharo standing above him. How surprised was he to find out it was no one else but Torrhen Karstark, his roommate who, until recently, was barely able to even look at him. Robb's relationship with the blond has surely gotten much better over the course of the entire year, but never before did they have a talk in four eyes with each other.

  * A bit – the brown-haired boy replied, trying to hide his nervousness behind a smile. - How about you?

  * Quite a lot, actually – he said. - It's our last match, after all. If we do well, we might even win. That doesn't happen often.

  * I would love Hufflepuff to finally win the Cup – Robb remarked. - I bet that would finally shut everyone else up.

  * I sure hope so – Torrhen replied with a chuckle.

  * Besides, we have been working hard to get here.

  * Yeah... some even harder than the others – the blond said with a weird, hesitant tone to his voice.




Robb knew that tone. Actually, he was forced to use it quite often. It was the tone people would use when they really don't want to say anything, but they know they have to. What did Torrhen have to tell him? It's not like he needed to apologize to Robb for anything. He was the one who had messed up. Not Torrhen.

  * Look, Robb – the Karstark boy began – I feel like-

  * Hey, hey, hey!




Daryn freaking Hornwood! Robb knew that technically he shouldn't dislike him as much as he did. He didn't do anything to him, besides poking fun at him once over the burping incident. For some reason, he just found him extremely infuriating. He felt bad about it, since he knew it might've been due to the fact that Hornwood was the person who had taken his spot on the team, yet he couldn't help it. He just didn't like him.

  * Hornwood – Harrion said, earning a handshake from the boy – what are you doing in here?

  * What? - the former Chaser replied. - Can't I just visit my old teammates and wish them luck during the game? You can kick me out of the team, but you can't kick me out of our friendship, Karstark. Now, where's the little one who has taken my place?

  * Over here – Robb replied hesitantly.




He wasn't too keen on having a conversation with his predecessor. In a few minutes he was supposed to play what might've been the most important match of his life. He needed to stay focused, which wouldn't have remained the case once he began talking with Hornwood.

  * Well, Burpy – he began, classy as always – I honestly would have never expected you to kick me out of the team, yet here we are. You don't have to worry, though. There are no hard feelings involved. You were there. I wasn't. You have won all fair and square. I've just wanted to see you to say that I'm rooting for you, and I hope you do well in today's match.

  * Really? - Robb asked, pleasantly surprised with Daryn's words.

  * Yeah... after all, how would I look like if the guy who replaced me has made a fool out of himself in front of the entire school? They guys would never let me get away with this.




...yeah, that didn't last too long. There probably was a decent person hidden in Daryn, under all those layers of jerkassery, but for the time being, Robb was way too busy to even think about trying to uncover it. There were more important things on his mind that day.

  * My dearest teammates – Brienne began as the entire team assembled, waiting for the match to begin – today is the day that we have been waiting for a very long time. I'm not going to lie. It wasn't easy to get here. There were many obstacles we had to face on our way there. Still, here we are, waiting for our final match against Slytherin. If we win today, we will win the house cup. The odds are in our favour. We're only losing by ten points. Still, it will take much more than a single goal to outmatch the Slytherins. They are by far the most creative team when it comes to tactics. Their leader, Arianne, is not only a good player, but also a great strategist. It will take us a lot of effort to win against them. Still, even if we don't win, I just want to say that I'm proud of each one of you. I've been working with you for the past few months, and I know how far you've come since then. It's only because of you that Hufflepuff is second right now, and it's because of you that we might score our house its first win in nearly fifteen years. I'm proud to be able to call myself your captain. Thank you.




The entire room has erupted with spontaneous applause for the Hufflepuff captain. Everyone was cheering for her: Rakharo, Irri, Harrion, even Loras, who seemed to be holding some kind of grudge against Brienne not so long ago. The girl in question seemed humbled by her teammate's reaction as she let her head down with a hint of a smile forming on her usually serious face. There was no denying she would reprise her role as the team leader for the following years. It's been long since any Hufflepuff captain has done as much for their house as she did this year. She could've been truly proud of herself.

  * How are you feeling? - Robb heard Loras ask as they were heading towards the pitch.

  * I'm okay – he replied. - How about you?

  * I'm good... surely way better than that Bolton asshole would like me to be.




Robb chuckled in response. It seemed like Ramsay's pathetic plot has backfired on him big time. Not only was he not allowed to play during the actual match, but also he has accidentally helped Loras overcome his bad streak. Ever since that incident, he seemed to have improved his gameplay basically overnight. Still, everyone knew that it wasn't the truth. Loras has already proven himself to be quite a capable Keeper. There was just something stopping him from showing his full potential recently. Now, thanks to Ramsay, it was gone. It was good to see Loras acting like his old, annoying self back again.

  * It's our final match this year – the blond said after a brief pause. - Aren't you nervous?

  * Of course I am – Robb replied. - Don't you know me by now? I didn't get a wink of sleep tonight.

  * To be honest, neither did I.




The boy seemed surprised by his friend's words. He knew by now that it was not impossible for Loras to loose his cool head, but he didn't expect he might be losing his sleep over the upcoming match just like him.

  * Why are you so surprised? - he asked. - You're not the only one allowed to be a nervous wreck.

  * Sorry, I tend to forget – Robb said in response. - What if we don't win?

  * Well, then at least we will lose with dignity. As much as I would love to win, I don't think it would change how satisfied I am with this year's results. I mean, we've basically done the impossible. When was the last time Hufflepuff had done nearly as well as it has this year? Fifteen years ago? More? After all those years, we've proven that our house, allegedly “the house of losers”, is good enough to compete with Gryffindor and Slytherin. As long as we put on a good game today, I'm happy with the results.




Truth be told, Robb has never taken into account that they might lose the final match. Winning seemed to be the only logical resolution to those two extremely turbulent years at Hogwarts. It was supposed to be the crowning moment of his transformation into a better person. The point where everyone around him would finally notice he has changed for the better and finally forgive him for all his past sins. Never before had Robb thought that he might not need to win in order to prove it. Still, over the course of the year, he has managed to make up with almost all of his friends and help his house score their highest score in many years. He's come a long way since the first grade. The anger that all the Hufflepuffs have felt towards him only in the beginning of the year seemed to have ceased by now. His sins have finally been forgiven, even without the spectacular final fight against Ramsay. His hopeless redemption quest was now over.

That's when the sound of cheering has filled his ears. It was only a matter of minutes before the final match begins. A match that would decide whether Hufflepuff's fifteen-year losing streak was truly over and the Badgers would finally win the House Cup. He looked straight into the bright light shining through the open gateway, ready for what was about to come. He might've earned his housemates' respect back already, but that didn't mean he was going to let Slytherins win without a fight. If they wanted that win so bad, they were going to have to earn it.

  * Ladies and gentlemen – professor Lannister began, seeing the teams making their entrance at the pitch – welcome to the penultimate match of this year's Hogwarts Inter-House Quidditch Cup. The match that will officially reveal the winner of the competition. Who is it going to be? Will the Slytherins score yet another win for their house, or will the Hufflepuff surprise everyone and come out victorious for the first time in nearly fifteen years? What do you think of it, professor Tyrell?

  * I haven't got a clue, Tyrion – the woman replied – but let me just say how thankful I am for this match. This competition hasn't been interesting in years. Honestly, if I had to witness yet another final match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, I would probably die out of boredom, and at my age it's quite possible.




While it was hard to ever come across the sight of empty stands during a Quidditch match, Robb couldn't recall ever seeing a crowd as big as it was that day. It truly seemed like the entire school has come to witness the Hufflepuff's final showdown against Slytherin. After all, it was the match which was going to determine the winning team. Also, the fact that for the first time in a long time Hufflepuff was a part of conversation has definitely helped with the viewership. The stands weren't divided into clear yellow and green sections as they usually were. There were noticeable spots of red and blue sprinkled here and there on the stands. Robb wasn't sure if he'd even be able to find his friends amongst such a huge mass, but to his happiness, it has proven not to be a huge challenge as soon he has noticed a rather large group of his supporters atop of the stands.

From the left, there was Yara with her younger brother right by her side. Robb didn't think she would come, but aparrently Theon had forced her to come. Once again, he has his friend's yellow-and-black scarf wrapped around his neck. Seeing it, Robb couldn't help but think how Theon would make for a cute Hufflepuff. Next to him were Jon and Sam, cheering loudly as they've seen the former's brother on the pitch. The biggest surprise, however, was that accompanying them was no one else but uncle Benjen. Apparently, he couldn't have missed out on his nephew's potential victory. Only a row lower Robb has noticed his roommates, Podrick and Wendel, accompanied by Bethany, Talisa and... Loras's sister – Margaery. He had no idea the two girls knew each other. For a moment he was starting to get worried, knowing how Margaery was one of few people aware of his sort-of crush on Talisa, yet the sight of the rivals approaching has quickly reminded him that there were more important things to worry about.

First in line was the captain – Arianne Martell. The beautiful, dark-haired girl was an older cousin to Obara and Tyene and, according to Brienne, a very skilled player. Robb didn't know her, but her treatment of Ramsay after he was caught in the Hufflepuff changing rooms has made him respect her already. Following right afterwards were Obara and Harrold, the team's remaining Chasers, and then there was Locke. While Robb was lucky that the Slytherins have gotten rid of Ramsay, his closest companion has still remained their Beater. While nowhere as evil as his master, Locke was no less unpleasant and he could very well continue with Bolton's plan of _“bashing his pretty little face right in with a Bludger.”_ At least Ramsay's replacement didn't seem too threatening. In fact the poor boy, whoever he was, looked as if he was about to faint in the next few minutes. Last, but not least, were the Slytherin Keeper, Roland Waynwood, and no one else but Renly Baratheon. As the both teams have made it onto the middle of the pitch, the dark-haired boy has sent a quick wink in the direction of his friends.

  * Brienne Tarth – the Slytherin captain began.

  * Arianne Martell – the blonde replied. - We meet once again.

  * I have to congratulate you on your team's score. It's quite uncommon for the Hufflepuffs to do so well in the House Cup.

  * You'd better get used to it – Brienne said, pride shining through her voice. - Although it's your last game at Hogwarts, isn't it? You're not going to make it easy for us.

  * Not at all – the dark-haired girl shook her head in response. - If you want that win so badly, then you're going to have to earn it. There's no going easy on anyone.

  * Should've known that – the Hufflepuff replied. - Good luck anyways, Martell.

  * Good luck, Tarth.




Then, as per usual, sir Selmy appeared in the middle of the pitch, carrying a huge wooden box. He nodded his head towards the players, signalizing that it was time for their to take their position. Robb grabbed the handle of his Tigresa tightly and pushed himself off the ground, stopping in the mid-air. He observed carefully as the teacher released the consecutive balls onto the pitch. However, as the Golden Snitch began to fly circles around the players before disappearing into the unknown, Robb noticed something weird was going on at the stands. Amongst the sea of predominantly green-clad people, he noticed a large splash of white in form of a large, white sheet with words _“ROBB STARK STINKS!”_ written on it in capital letters, spread out in the middle of it. It didn't take a genius to realize who was the one responsible for it. Holding the sheet from the left, smiling brightly, was no one else but Ramsay Bolton, helped by Myranda standing on the other side. It was a downright sad sight to look at. Ramsay, the guy who has single-handedly ruined Robb's reputation in the first grade, now had to resort to such pathetic devices to get his rival's attention. The worst part, however, was that it worked. For a few seconds Robb couldn't think of anything else but how he would like for a Bludger to accidentally smash into the stands, hitting Ramsay right across his ugly, smiling face. It was only the voice of sir Selmy that has reminded him of the match.

  * I want this to be a good match – he said. - That means no fouls. Do you understand me?




Robb moved his head around the Slytherin players, nodding their heads to sir Selmy's words, only to stumble upon Locke's gaze. As soon as he noticed the Hufflepuff looking at him, he smiled in a way which reeked of Ramsay. Of course he would use one of his pawns to get back at Robb. Maybe it was his final showdown against Ramsay, after all? Locke, the banner... he wasn't going to give up so easily. Robb closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus on the upcoming game. He couldn't let Ramsay take over his mind. He couldn't let him ruin the most important game of his life. Not when there was so many people rooting for him. He couldn't let them now. As he opened his eyes, he didn't think about Ramsay. The only thing he thought about was the match which was about to begin in a matter of seconds. Maybe he didn't have to win to make up for his mistakes anymore, but he wasn't planning on giving up anytime soon.

Sir Selmy took the Quaffle inside of his hand, looked up at the students, threw it upwards and...

  * It's begun! - professor Lannister announced excitedly.




Robb reacted immediately, bolting forward and extending his arm to grab the Quaffle before anyone else could do so, yet he didn't get it. Luckily, it was Irri who has managed to get it in time as she flew off in the direction of Slytherin goal posts.

  * Acharia has the ball! She passes it over to Tarth... Tarth passes to Stark... Stark passes to Acharia and... Waynwood makes it right in time!




The ball didn't make it through the hoop as the Slytherin keeper managed to block it with the tail of his broomstick. Robb could only watch as Obara grabs the Quaffle in her hands and charges in the opposite direction at an incredible speed. She was already an unpleasant sight while passing by in the hallways. On the pitch, somehow, she seemed even more fearsome. She passed the ball over to Harrold, only for it to end up in the hands of her older cousin. Brienne desperately tried to stop their attack, but before she could do anything, Arienne has already sent the Quaffle flying right through one of the Hufflepuff goal posts. Loras didn't make it in time. The rivals have been too fast. That's how the Slytherins have earned their first ten points in the game.

  * They're really fast – Robb commented, having witnessed the rivals' attack.

  * They are – captain Tarth replied, seemingly unfazed by it – but we're faster.




She was right. The Hufflepuffs weren'y any worse in the Chasers department than the opposite team. The next few minutes have only proven that it was going to be an easy win for either side. While no points have been earned by any of the players, no one could call the game _“boring”_ as the position of the Quaffle constantly switched from one team to the other.

  * Tarth to Acharia, Acharia to Stark, Stark to- captain Martell takes over the Quaffle! Martell! Hardyng! Martell! Hardyng again, and... Tyrell blocks the Slytherin's shot in excellent fashion!




Robb could clearly hear the Hufflepuff side of the stands cheering Loras's name loudly. In fact, he might've even seen the boy's grandmother nodding her head proudly from the commentators' booth. Beside the initial mishap, these few minutes of the match have really done wonders to show how much the boy has improved his skills ever since his first match. However, the Slytherin Keeper, Roland Waynwood, wasn't much worse. Despite the Hufflepuffs' numerous attempts at scoring their first ten points, they still haven't managed to do it. No matter how good Tyrell was doing, they were not going to win just by defending themselves from the Slytherin attacks. They needed to actually score some points for their team.

And so they did. Soon enough an opportunity has arrived for the Hufflepuffs to get back at their rivals. While charging towards the opposite teams' goal posts, one of the Slytherin Chasers, Harrold, has made a particularly misaimed pass towards one of his teammates. That was the moment the Puffs were waiting for. Before Arianne could do anything, Brienne has grabbed the Quaffle and passed it over to Irri, who has quickly headed off towards the rivals' side of the pitch.

  * Acharia has the ball – professor Lannister announced. - She dodges Locke's Bludger, flies towards the goal post and... there it is! Hufflepuff's first ten points in the game!




The yellow-clad part of the audience rejoiced at the sight of that, seeing as it wouldn't be that easy for Slytherin to take the lead. Those ten points gained by Irri were the wake-up call Robb and his teammates truly needed to start the game. It's not like they haven't been trying their best before, but the hardest part was always to get through with the team's first goal. Now that it was done, the match could truly begin.

  * Slytherin begins the attack!




Robb watched as three streaks of green quickly made their way towards the Hufflepuffs' side. It was obvious none of them were going to let those ten points go by unavenged. For a while, it seemed like it might be Arianne who would lead the attack. Seeing that, Brienne and Irri began closing in on her from both sides, hoping to take the Quaffle away from her. Sadly, it didn't work as the dark-haired girl passed it to her cousin in front of her. However, just as she was about to grab it, a Bludger has appeared out of nowhere, blocking her.

  * Good move on behalf of Harrion Karstark – professor Lannister commented.




Not wanting to lose the opportunity, Robb dived down in hopes to retrieve the Quaffle. He did it. He had it in his hand. Only a second later he was already speeding towards the Slytherin goal posts. He didn't think too much. He didn't have a plan. He just knew that this tiny mistake on the rivals' side might've been a huge chance for his team. That's when he felt someone bump against him, almost making him lose his balance. As he turned around, he noticed Obara Martell right by his side. He wasn't sure if she was mad at her team losing ten points of advantage or at Robb in person. Maybe she wasn't evenmbad at all? Maybe her face was just always like that? Still, no matter how her face looked like, she was a problem Robb has to deal with. Luckily, that's when he noticed Brienne appear onto his left.

  * Stark! - she shouted out. - Over here!




He passed the Quaffle over to the girl, who immediately flew into the scoring area and threw the ball into one of the hoops... only for it to bounce right off Waynwood's broom tail.

  * And... she missed it! - the Transfiguration teacher said.

  * A shame – professor Tyrell added. - It would've been funny to see Hufflepuff take the lead over-




She didn't finish as that's when the Quaffle has passed right through the Slytherin's middle hoop, all courtesy of... Robb Stark. The commentators' next words could barely be heard over the sound of cheering coming from the stands, but the boy was sure he could hear professor Tyrell saying something about the game starting to get interesting. Hufflepuff, the so-called House of Losers, was officially in the lead, with ten points separating them from their rivals. How did that happen? Well, Robb had to admit he was a bit lucky. The Quaffle has bounced off Waynwood's broomstick almost right into his arms. Obara has tried to stop his, almost shoving an elbow into his gut, but he was quicker. Somehow, he managed to score ten more points for his team. Now there was no denying that Robb had two goals on his account. Still, the proud look on Brienne\s face was a way bigger reward than any number of points he could get.

Sadly, as it often was the case with Robb, his happiness didn't last too long. The Hufflepuffs' lead has soon become nothing but a pleasant memory as the Martell cousins have scored three beautiful goals against their rivals, bringing the score to 20:40. It wasn't that his team was any worse than they were before. It was rather about how quickly the Slytherins have collected themselves after the loss. No wonder why they were considered one of the best Quidditch teams at Hogwarts. It wasn't any harder to score a goal against them than against the Gryffindors. Keeping the point advantage, however, has proven to be quite a challenge. It was kind of like throwing a rock at wasps' nest and hoping you would go unscathed. To make things worse, even from all the way up there, he could notice Ramsay merrily celebrating every single mishap on their team's behalf. The sheet with “ _ROBB STARK STINKS!”_ written on it was still proudly waving from the stands. He didn't know if no one has noticed it yet, or if simply no one cared, but it was still there. Robb kind of wished hitting Bludgers towards the spectators wasn't considered a foul (fun fact: it's called bumphing), because he was more than sure Harrion Karstark wouldn't mind sending one towards Bolton. Sadly, that would be simultaneous with the match coming to a halt. The only other way he could spite Ramsay was to do his best and help his team win the match, and that's exactly what he was planning to do.

As Brienne passed the Quaffle over to him, he knew exactly what to do. Immediately he has bolted off towards the Slytherin goal hoops, ready to score few more points for his team. This time, there was no one stopping him. There was not a sight of Obara's angry face anywhere around him. Actually, it was kind of weird. Not a single Chaser was trying to stop him. Almost as if they didn't want to get anywhere near him.

  * Robb! – he suddenly heard someone yelling at him. - Watch out!




That's when the boy heard an eerily familiar whistling sound coming right from behind him, getting closer with each second. It took him a moment to realize what it was, but when he did, he immediately moved to the side, dodging the Bludger which shot right past him at a frightening speed. He let go off the Quaffle, trying to regain balance. Suddenly, the world has turned upside down. A second later he realized he was hanging from the broomstick, holding on to it for dear life with his hands. The crowd gasped in shock, seeing what position the young Chaser has found himself in.

  * Oh no! - professor Lannister cried out. - Stark fell off his broomstick! Looks like he can't get back on!




Robb felt downright embarrassed by his pathetic display of helplessness. Brienne or Irri would've had no problem doing a barrel and then continuing the match. He, however, was just simply dangling from his broom, unable to get back on. What a loser! All of a sudden, he has reminded himself of how he and Loras have been complaining about Brienne having them do the pull-ups on a particularly tiresome, Monday practice session. Little did he know it might one day come in handy for him. _“Isn't it ironic?”_ , as a certain famous Muggle singer would certainly say. Only it wasn't rain on anyone's wedding day. It was him hanging from his own broomstick, and if he didn't get back on, he would surely end up falling down onto his butt in front of the entire school, all of his friends, his kind-of sort-of crush and Ramsay freaking Bolton. He needed to get back onto it. He tightened his grip around Tigresa's handle, tensed the barely existent muscles in his arms and victoriously pulled himself up onto his broomstick. As he got back on, he got greeted by a loud applause... only that it wasn't directed towards him. The Slytherins have scored yet another goal. They were winning by a rather large margin. Hufflepuff was losing.

As Robb turned around, he noticed Locke looking at him from the distance. Of course it was him who has send the Bludger. See, it was the Beaters' job to send those murderous orbs of iron towards the other players, but you could tell when someone was directly targeting you. Even Drogo, who was known for his not-so-gentle approach, didn't tend to aim straight towards other players' heads. Locke, on the other hand, attended Ramsay's school of being an asshole, so he wouldn't care that much if he knocked the poor boy out cold. In fact, it seemed to be his intention to do so. Robb has only sent a threatening glare towards the Slytherin and flew off back towards the rest of his teammates.

  * Looks like this match might not be so surprising after all – professor Tyrell commented from the stands. - The Badgers are losing by thirty points. It won't be easy for them to make up for it.

  * Let's not write them off just yet – the Transifguration teacher added. - If I know of Brienne Tarth, and I do, I bet she still has a few tricks up her sleeve.




Well, professor Lannister was right about this one. After all, the Hufflepuffs still haven't used their secret weapon – the Porskoff Ploy. The technique, while mostly effective, has proven itself quite hard to execute properly during an actual match. Damn you, Petrova Porskoff of Russian National Quidditch Team, inventor of the Porskoff Ploy. You've made it seem so easy. Still, even without Porskoff Ploy, a pissed off Hufflepuff Chaser was a force to be reckoned with, and the Slytherin players were about to find out about it first hand. After all, the wasps' nest comment didn't apply solely to the Slytherins.

  * Brienne Tarth scores her first, beautiful goal in the game!

  * Acharia brings her team's total to forty points!

  * ...and with Starks' goal, the Slytherin's lead shrinks to only ten points!




Robb couldn't deny he was especially proud of that last one. For a moment, he thought the Quaffle wouldn't make it in time, but it passed right above Waynwood's hand into the right hoop. The spectators, just like the rival team, seemed to be in a state of shock, having seen how quickly the Slytherins' thirty point difference would've melted down to nothing, if not for one miraculous goal scored by their team captain. Even the Gryffindors had trouble keeping pace with them, which has costed them a lost match. Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, have been doing just fine. It was obvious that no side was going to give up. Robb could see drops of sweat forming on Harrold Hardyng's forehead or Obara baring her teeth in anger every time one of them has managed to score a goal against her team. Even with the yellow house's continuous winning streak, they didn't seem to have predicted exactly how tough it might be for them to win the match. Still, there was no denying that it was a tough one for their rivals as well. Even the usually restless captain Tarth seemed to be slowly starting to succumb to the fatigue. Robb himself felt like he also could use a few minutes of break, but he knew that every single mistake could lead to the Slytherins taking the lead once again. He just hoped that soon enough Rakharo would notice the Snitch flying somewhere nearby and put his poor teammates out of their misery.

As the thirty-fifth minute of the match has begun, there was no sing of slowing down from either of the teams. Chasers flew from one side of the pitch to the other; Keepers skilfully prevented each Quaffle from falling through the hoops; Beaters only added to the overall chaos, sending Bludgers after other players (no points for guessing who was the most targeted one)... even the Seekers have engaged in a heated chase after the Snitch, which has disappeared only a minute later. It's been long since Hogwarts has seen a match quite as exciting as this one. Usually, Gryffindor versus Slytherin was the showdown everyone was waiting to see. Who would've thought that it might be the Puffs who end up fighting for the crown against the snakes' house?

  * Half-an-hour of the match has already passed – the dwarf teacher commented with enthusiasm in his voice.

  * Already? - professor Tyrell asked, clearly surprised by his words.




It was a huge compliment, since she was usually the first one to mope about the match being boring and overtly long.

  * Yes, and there's still no clear winner in our sight – the man replied. - Something tells me we might spend the next thirty minutes here as well.




These words haven't brought much comfort to Robb, who hoped that the match might be slowly coming to an end. As much as he loved playing Quidditch, he could feel himself losing energy at an alarming speed. Each Quaffle he would throw would fly slower than the previous one. If Locke has managed to knock him out of his broomstick again, he might not find enough strength to pull himself up again. Most of all, however, he feared he might disappoint all of those people rooting for him, from those down on the stands to those who were up there in the sky with him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't let them down again. He couldn't give up. Luckily for him, that's when the Slytherin captain has announced a time-out for her team, which also meant a long-awaited break for Robb and his teammates.

  * Okay, first of all – Brienne began as the entire team huddled around her – Karstark brothers? Keep it up. Tyrell, aside from those three goals from the Martell girls, you're doing a good job too. You've really improved.

  * Thanks – the blond replied – I'm trying by best.




It was good to see the two of them share mutual respect for each other, especially as they've butted heads with each other a few times over the course of the past few weeks. Overall, the things Brienne had to say to her teammates were mostly positive, but there was one major issue she had to address.

  * We haven't even attempted to do the Porskoff Ploy – she said. - I guess that's kind of my fault. I am the leader. I should've been the one to initiate the attack. The very next time we have the chance, we're going to perfectly execute the Porskoff Ploy and come out victorious against the Slytherins. Are you with me?!




The whole team quickly agreed with their leader. The only one who didn't seem as enthusiastic as the rest was Robb, and that's because his eyes were set on the rival team. He could see Arianne talking to her fellow Chasers, the Keeper and the Seeker, but the Beaters were not a part of the group. The two of them have been floating to their teammates' right, Locke whispering something into the ear of Ramsay's substitute. Robb has no idea what they've been talking about, but surely no good could've come out of it.

He was right.

  * After few minutes of break, we're back with one of the most exciting Quidditch matches Hogwarts has seen in years – professor Lannister announced from the commentators' booth. - The Hufflepuffs begin.




They've begun as if it was a usual attack. Brienne passed the Quffle to Irri. The girl continued to fly in the direction of the Slytherin goal posts, only stopping as Obara Martell's broomstick has blocked her way. She threw the Quaffle to Robb, who then passed it over to Brienne. That's when it began. The tall girl raised the handle of her broomstick upwards, flying off above the rest of her teammates with all the Slytherin Chasers following her. After all, she was clearly heading towards their side of the pitch, ready to score a goal. Or was she? Not one of them has noticed that below them awaited Robb Stark, ready to receive the Quaffle from Brienne. In fact, it might have worked out. The setup was perfect. They could've taken a picture of them right now and put it in the Quidditch tactics guidebook under the “Porskoff Ploy” section. It would've been all okay... if not for the Quaffle which has shot right past Brienne's face, headed straight towards Robb. The boy ducked quickly, not wanting to get smashed by the iron ball, but as he opened his eyes, he noticed a second one headed straight towards him. Somehow, he has managed to avoid getting hit this one as well. By that time, the Slytherins have effectively taken over the Quaffle and headed off towards the Hufflepuff goal posts with Brienne and Irri following right afterwards. Seeing that, Robb has quickly turned his broom around, wanting to join his teammates on the other side of the pitch, but then a Bludger has shot right past him, blocking his way.

As he looked up, he noticed no one else but Locke smiling at him in an eerily innocent way. There was no denying now that he was targetting him on purpose, and he clearly had a lot of fun doing so. Truth be told, Robb wouldn't have cared so much about one of Ramsay's evil minions trying to get back at him if not for the fact that in this exact moment a fourth freaking Quaffle has shoot right past his head, almost injuring him. As he looked back, he noticed Ramsay's substitute looking at him with an apologetic expression. That's exactly when Robb knew his problems have only begun. He dived down as he noticed Locke getting ready to hit the Bludger which has almost taken him down towards him, making some kind of a U-shaped maneuvre as he headed back towards his side of the pitch, with two balls of pure iron joyfully following after him. The bloodbath phase of the match has officially begun.

The next ten minutes of the game weren't really different from the rest of the match. Chasers still flew from one side of the pitch to the other. Keepers still skilfully prevented each Quaffle from falling through the hoops. Everything would seem normal if you have chosen to gloss over the two murderous orbs wrecking havoc amongst the players. It's begun with Robb, and Robb was still the main target of the Bludgers. It was only an unforseen side effect that on their way there they have also almost knocked out: Brienne, Irri, Arianne, Obara, Harrold, Rakharo, Renly, Loras and even some poor pigeon which has made it onto the pitch at the worst time possible. It was a miracle no one has gotten hurt yet. Of course, the ever-chivalrous Karstark boys have quickly stepped up to the their (and not only their) teammates' defence and began sending the Bludgers right back towards the Slytherin Beaters. In the process, the Quidditch match has gained way too many similarities to a Muggle game of tennis. The only problem was that the Bludgers were significantly heavier than an average tennis ball. It has also made it fairly hard for both teams to actually score any points. At this point, it has almost become a suicide mission to do so, especially if your name was Robb Stark.

At this point, there wasn't much the boy could do but run away from the Bludgers and try not to fly to close to the rest of his teammates, not wanting any of them to get injured. After all, they still could've made it without him, while losing Brienne or Irri would've meant a defeat for Hufflepuff. Sadly, this has made him even more of an easy target for Locke and his companion. Robb still remembered what Ramsay said about his pretty face getting bashed in by a Bludger. It looked like he was going to do his best to fulfill his promise, whether he was allowed on the pitch or not. The Hufflepuff had already promised himself he would straight up murder Ramsay if anything has happened to his face. Even if he wasn't sure if “pretty” was the right adjective to describe it, he has grown quite used to it and didn't want to change it just yet. He groaned in annoyance as yet another iron ball has shot right above his head. Over forty minutes of the match have already passed, which meant that sooner or later a Golden Snitch would appear somewhere around the pitch. Time was running out, and Robb could do nothing but dodge under continuous Bludgers Locke would send his way. He could feel he was getting more tired with each passing second. He knew that soon enough one of the balls would finally reach him, possibly fulfilling Ramsay's life-long dream of seeing his enemy getting knocked off his broomstick by one hundred and fifty pounds of pure iron. If only he knew how quickly his thoughts might come alive.

Avoiding one Bludger directed right at you has already proven itself to be quite a challenge. Avoiding two Bludgers directed right at you, however, as a horror. Robb could've considered himself lucky that Ramsay Bolton wasn't allowed to play in the game. Locke was doing a good job, but you could see the other Beater was still rather unexperienced. That has made running away from the Quaffle way easier for the Hufflepuff. Clearly, this wouldn't have been the case if Ramsay was playing alongside Locke. That's why it was so surprising that, of all people involved, it was that random substitute guy who has almost managed to knock Robb's lights out. Almost. So occupied was he by Locke's constant onslaught that he didn't notice as the other boy has sent a lethally precise Bludger straight towards his head. As Robb turned around, he knew there was not much he could do to escape. Maybe if he noticed it a second ago, he would've still had the chance to dodge it. Now, however, all he could do was stare as the orb of doom cutting through the air towards him. He panicked. He closed his eyes and gripped the handle of his Tigresa as tight as he could, hoping that somehow it would save him. As he awaited the inevitable, he could see all of his short but exciting life flashing right in front of him. All the holidays he spent with his family. All the nights he spent doing nothing but talking to Jon. Bran's accident. The first time he saw Grey Wind. The time his letter from Hogwarts has finally arrived and his entire rollercoaster journey through the school years. Still, his face remained the exact same state it was before. The impact didn't come. As he opened his eyes, he realized why.

  * The younger of the Karstark brothers makes it right on time, saving Stark from the Bludger – professor Lannister announces loudly.

  * Is it just me or does it look like he got hurt? - the Herbology teacher asked.




In fact, Torrhen was floating in the mid-air right in front of Robb, clutching his arm tightly as he groaned in pain. He must've jumped in front of Robb, trying to save him from the Bludger, only to get hurt in the process. Why did he do that? After all, they weren't friends anymore. There was no need to do something so stupid just to protect the guy he could barely even talk to.

  * Torr – Robb asked, worried about his teammate – what happened?

  * The Bludger has hit me in the wrist – the blond replied with tears forming in his blue eyes. - It really hurts. It might be broken.

  * Don't worry, Torr – the Chaser comforted him. - It will all be fine. I will get you out of here.




It didn't take long for Robb to react. He might not know how to deal with a broken wrist, but he knew that an ongoing Quidditch match was not the safest place for the wounded Torrhen to be in. Quickly he noticed his team captain, trying her best to take the Quaffle from Arianne Martell only a bit further. He knew he must've interrupted her. He couldn't let anything else happen to Torrhen.

  * Brienne?! Brienne!

  * Stark, what are you doing?! - she asked. - Get back to the ga-

  * Brienne, Torrhen is hurt!




It took her a while to realize what exactly was going on, but as she did, she immediately announced a time-out for her team.

  * We've got an injured player! – she explained as she made her way down to the ground.




Robb followed right afterwards, holding Torrhen by the shoulder to make sure he doesn't lose his balance and hurt himself even more. As they've landed on the pitch, sir Ebrose was already waiting for them there to check on the boy. Soon enough, the rest of the team has joined them on the ground, including a particularly worried Harrion Karstark.

  * Torr! Where is Torr?! Torr?! Oh my God, Torrhen! Are you okay?! Does it hurt you?! What happened?! Who did this to you?! Whoever that is, I'm going to kill him!

  * It's okay, Harrion – the younger of brothers replied, trying to hide is pain the best he could. - I can do it myself.

  * It was Locke – Robb added, still holding on to his roommate – him and this other guy. They have been sending Bludgers after me this whole time. Torr was only trying to protect me.

  * This is insane! - Loras said, visibly outraged by the information. - We can't let them just target you like that! It has to be considered a foul!

  * It isn't – Brienne replied in a serious tone. - There are exactly seven hundred Quidditch fouls, but it isn't one of them. It's allowed for the Beaters to continuously shoot Bludgers towards the same player. It's Quidditch, after all.

  * But there must be something we could do about it!




That's when sir Ebrose has interrupted the discussion. Sadly, he didn't have any good news to share with the group.

  * I'm afraid the bone has been broken.

  * Well – Torrhen replied – there has to be a way to fix it before the match begins.

  * There is a spell which could do so – the healer answered – but even then the bone remains fragile and might easily break again. We can not allow this to happen. I'm afraid you won't be able to continue playing the match.




It was hard to watch the last flicker of hope fading away from the boy's eyes. Robb knew how much Quidditch meant for him. If there was one person that might've wanted to win more than him, it was Torrhen. The rest of the team didn't look too happy about it either. After all, it meant that the number of Hufflepuff players would be reduced down to six. What was even more painful was that it was one of the Beaters who has gotten injured. As good as Harrion was, he couldn't possibly deal with both Locke and that other guy, especially with the way they have been playing now.

  * I will murder that son of a-

  * Watch it, young man – sir Ebrose interrupted the older brother before the other word has managed to come out of his mouth.

  * So what now? - Brienne asked. - Does that mean we're left without a Beater?

  * I'm afraid it does.

  * Great – the team captain muttered, visibly angry. - The one time we actually had a shot at the first place. Look, if we still want to win, we must work even harder. Harrion? Shoot every single Bludger you can towards the Slytherin Beaters. Do everything you can to distract them from the game. Rakharo? As soon as you notice the Snitch, go for it. You must catch it before Baratheon can. As for Robb and Irri, Porskoff Ploy is the only thing which might surprise the Slytherins now. It's our last hope at winning. We need to do it. And Loras... keep up the good work.




Robb was sure that if Loras tried to puff his chest any more, he would explode.

  * Karstark, get some rest – the blonde said, turning over to the injured boy. - You deserve it. Meanwhile, we still have a few snake butts to kick. Let's prove these Slytherins that it won't be this easy to take us down!




That said, Brienne took a seat on the handle of her broomstick, ready to continue the match, but there was one more thing Torrhen had to say.

  * Wait a minute... Robb?




Robb was surprised to hear his name coming out of the boy's mouth. What was it that he wanted to tell him?

  * I'm sorry for the way I've been acting towards you this entire year – he continued. - I was just really mad that you felt ashamed of our house. I know you've made a mistake, and you were doing everything you could to make up for it. I should've gone easier on you about it. I hope you can forgive me.

  * It's okay, Torrhen – the curly-haired boy replied. - I was never even mad at you in the first place.




Robb couldn't deny he felt a bit warm inside when the Karstark boy smiled in response. It's been a while since he has seen Torrhen smiling at him. It was good to know that everything was fine between the two of them now.

  * Okay now, lovebirds – Brienne interrupted. - You'll get to finish your make-out session after the match. Now, let's go.




Seeing as the time-out was about to end, he sent one more smile towards his friend and followed the rest of his teammates up into the sky. On his way up, he noticed that a little change has happened in the banner Ramsay proudly was holding down on the stands. Now, instead of saying “ _ROBB STARK SUCKS!_ ”, the sheet was saying “ _RAMSAY BOLTON HAS HERPES!”_ Judging by his triumphant expression, the boy must've had no idea of it. Robb quickly turned his gaze back to where Theon was sitting, and noticed his friend only shrugging his shoulders, grinning in pride. The Hufflepuff couldn't help but laugh seeing that. In the moment of complete chaos and worry, one banner saying “ _RAMSAY BOLTON HAS HERPES!”_ was exactly what Robb needed to make everything feel right.

As the match resumed, things didn't seem to be looking up for the Puffs. Only a few seconds in, Arianne Martell has almost scored yet another goal for her team, bringing the point gap between the to houses up to twenty points. Thankfully, Loras has managed to stop her right on time, but it has become painfully obvious that between this and Locke continuing to target Robb, Hufflepuffs would've needed an actual miracle to win. So a miracle has happened. See, somehow, despite the huge disadvantage, the badgers' team was doing pretty well. The Slytherin players must've thought the rivals wouldn't be able to pick themselves up after Torrhen's injury. It seemed like they have far underestimated the Hufflepuffs. Soon enough, Brienne has managed to even the score with a beautiful goal, surprising the rivals as well as the audience. It seemed like the match wasn't anywhere near over yet. Still, the most satisfying moment, at least according to Robb, was watching Locke get hoisted by his own petard. The moment the match resumed, the constant onslaught of Bludgers towards Robb has continued. There was one thing, however, that Locke hasn't taken into account. This time Robb had a bodyguard. A very, very pissed off bodyguard. After few minutes of back-and-forth between the Slytherin Beater and Harrion, the Hufflepuff has managed to send the ball straight into the rivals chest, successfully knocking him out of his broom. Sir Selmy had to use the _Arresto Momentum_ spell on him to make sure nothing happens to him. As he landed on the ground, the teacher has discovered the boy was unconscious. Some might say it was because of the pain, but Robb was sure he fainted out of fear as he was falling. Not that he was happy about Locke falling from his broom or anything, though. Come on... Locke wasn't Ramsay... or his aunt... or even professor Baelish. Still, he couldn't deny it took a load off his mind once he realized the bloodbath has come to an end.

  * It's sad to see so many players get injured today, during this match – the Transfiguration teacher remarked.

  * Oh, please – professor Tyrell snapped back. - The jerk deserved it, and we all know it.




Only a while later, it was announced that the game has officially passed the long-awaited sixty minutes mark. While the professional Quidditch matches could usually last hours, the length of an usual Hogwarts match was somewhere between forty and fifty minutes. Robb knew that soon it would all come to an end, and so did the rest of the players. Only minutes have separated them now from finding out which house would come out as champions of this year's Quidditch Cup. If there ever was a right time to take risks, it was now, and Brienne knew it very well.

  * Stark?! Acharia?! - she called out as the Slytherins have been preparing for the attack. - This may be our last chance! The moment we get the Quaffle, we're going ahead with the plan! Do you know what to do?!

  * It is known – Irri nodded her head in response.

  * Stark? - the blonde asked. - How about you?




Robb took a quick glance at the stands. He would do it every once in a while to take a look at Ramsay, proudly showing off his stupid banner, still completely unaware of what it said now. This time, however, he wasn't looking at the Slytherin. His eyes have been fixed on the other side of the stands. The one where all of his friends were. He took one more look towards them. He looked at his roommates, his uncle, his brother, Talisa, all of them rooting for him. Then he looked over at Theon, his best friend. Somehow, the boy noticed Robb looking at him from way above and started cheering as loud as he could.

  * GET IT, ROBB! ONE MORE GOAL! YOU CAN DO IT!




No matter how nervous he was, he simply could not resist a smile seeing Theon rooting for him from the stands. He's always been there for him. He couldn't let him down now. He couldn't let any of them down. This match was what he owed to them for being there for him, even when anyone else would've dropped him a long time ago. He owed the this Porskoff Ploy to them. He owed it to his housemates. He owed it to his family. He owed it to Theon.

  * I'm ready – he replied.




And so began what might've as well been the final attack of the entire game. Who was going to win? Hufflepuff or Slytherin? Badgers or Snakes? Robb or Ramsay?

  * Martell passes over to Hardyng – professor Lannister commented. - Hardyng passes to Martell and...




That's exactly when Robb has sensed an opportunity to his team. Just because two of the Beaters have been knocked out of the game, it didn't make the risk of getting hit by a Bludger any smaller. Obara Martell has found that out as just as she was about to catch the Quaffle thrown towards her, she noticed the iron ball headed straight towards her. At this point, Slytherin losing any more players would've surely meant defeat, so risking your hand getting smashed to pieces by a Bludger was no option. Obara moved away from its way as quickly as possible, clearly not happy about having to leave the Quaffle. What happened next was probably one of the luckiest coincidences in the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup history. The Bludger sent after Obara and the Quaffle have collided, sending the latter flying in the opposite direction. The Hufflepuffs couldn't have allowed themselves to lose out on such chance. Robb immediately bolted off towards the Quaffle, and then tossed it over to Irri, who has quickly headed off towards the rivals' side of the pitch.

  * Looks like the Hufflepuff Seeker has finally caught wind of the Snitch – the commentator announced.




As Robb looked back, indeed, he noticed Rakharo and Renly, a bit further, rushing after a tiny smudge of gold. That must've been the Snitch. However, Robb has quickly reminded himself of what he should focus on instead, and quickly joined Irri and Brienne in attack. The rivals followed right afterwards, with Arianne leading the chase. Everything seemed to be going just perfect. Harrion was successful in keeping the Bludger away from his teammates, and the Slytherins were still far enough for the Hufflepuff Chasers to attempt the Porskoff Ploy. Robb looked over at Irri, and then at captain Tarth. They all knew it was the high time to do it. Brienne was on her spot already. The only thing Robb had to do was to pass the Quaffle over to her. All of a sudden, however, he has slowed down, seeing a tiny gold-coloured sphere with silver wings appear out of nowhere, right in front of him. The Seekers followed right after, almost knocking over the poor boy from below. If not for Robb slowing down, the match would've surely ended up with five casualties. Not wanting to stop the action, he passed the ball over to Irri, who then in turn passed it over to Brienne. The Hufflepuff captain soared into the air with the Quaffle in her hand, taking the Slytherin Chasers with her. Perfect. They've taken the bait.

Robb leaned over the frame of his Tigresa, hoping to get more traction. The Snitch incident was not going to stop the from doing the Porskoff Ploy. If Brienne was to pass the ball to him, he would be ready. That's exactly what happened. The blonde looked down on her teammates, and seeing as Robb was waiting, she tossed the Quaffle down to him. For a moment, the boy was sure he could see a hint of fear in her eyes. What if he doesn't catch it? What if all those practice session have brought them nothing? Luckily for her, that wasn't the case here as Robb had virtually no problems with obtaining the Quaffle.

  * Was that the Porskoff Ploy? - professor Tyrell asked excitedly.




Robb could already see Roland Waynwood waiting for him by the goal posts. He could feel his stomach twisting out of anxiety. Once more he was to score a goal for his team at the very last minute. Was it going to make it this time? Would it even matter for the game? One thing Robb was sure of. Even if it didn't make it, he would still be proud of himself. He's done a really good job today, and neither of the teams winning was going to take that away from him. Still, he wanted to score this one last goal so much. He tossed the Quaffle towards the last hoop. He watched Roland speed his way towards it with his hand extended... only to miss by an inch. The Quaffle has made it through. He's scored a point. That's when the horns have sounded off.

Rakharo has caught the Snitch! They won! Hufflepuff has won the House Cup!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was a whole lot of letters! Anyways, after torturing Robb over the course of the entire story, I just couldn't have the Puffs not winning the Quidditch Cup. Come on, they've deserved it. Robb has deserved it. It might be a bit cheesy, but despite the common misconception, I'm not always cynical and pessimistic. Also, the fact that I've managed to actually write the Quidditch chapters and make them at the very least readable is such a huge win for me. I've been really scared of them, yet they've ended up being some of my best chapters so far. There are two more chapters to this story (hopefully this won't take two weeks to edit), and then we will move on to yet another dramatic year at Hogwarts... in the third part I've barely even started to write yet. For now though, let's focus on the positives and celebrate Robb's win!
> 
> Next week: Kind of a breather, I needed it after this chapter. Aftermath of the match and some more personal Robb/Theon drama.


	21. A True Hufflepuff

To Robb's sincere surprise, the last weeks of his second year at Hogwarts came as a stark contrast to the disastrous events which had take place only twelve months ago. Seriously. Last year was a huge downer. Nothing seemed to be going right for him then. Ramsay revealed his biggest secret. His housemates have turned their back on him. Hufflepuff finished last in the House Cup, also partially because of him. It was hard to blame the poor guy for expecting the worst was yet to come. That's exactly why he was so perplexed at how well everything seemed to be going for him. First of all, Hufflepuff has won the Quidditch Cup. Finally, after fifteen years of bad luck, the house of just and loyal has made their triumphant comeback. Truth be told, Robb didn't really remember what happened after the match. So much was going on back there. It was all really loud. Everyone was cheering. One thing he could recall was that as he landed, Torrhen was the first to congratulate the boy, grabbing him by the shoulders, completely forgetting about his recently fixed arm, and yelling something nearly incoherent right into his ear. If there was one person who was happier about the win than Robb, it was him. After that, it was all a blank space. Robb just remembered talking to nearly everyone present at the pitch: all of his teammates, the Slytherin team which has stopped by to congratulate him, sir Selmy, Podrick and Wendel, Theon, accompanied by Jon and Sam, Yara, Margaery and her brother, Talisa and Bethany his uncle, professor Lannister and many more. It seemed like the only people present during the match who Robb didn't get the chance to talk to were Ramsay and Myranda, who have left the stands rather quickly. Wonder why.

The rest of the school year has passed rather peacefully. Not much has happened since the Hufflepuff-Slytherin match. Robb has passed through the final exams with surprisingly good results, scoring over 90% from both Transfiguation and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Both professor Lannister and uncle Benjen seemed proud of their student's achievements. His worst result was, naturally, the one from the Potions exam (52%), but professor Baelish has quickly assured the boy not to worry.

  * It's okay, Robb. It happens to the best. I'm telling you, if you work hard enough, next year you're going to score a full 100%. After all, you're probably one of my most talented students... sadly, I can't say the same about your brother.




Still, Jon's glowing 78% from the first year Potions exam seemed to prove otherwise.

The things seemed to have also gotten better amongst his housemates. Now, instead of disappointed look and glares, everyone was smiling and nodding their heads as they saw him. Robb's relationship with his housemates has gotten back to the point where all four of them would speak to each other and have fun together without any hard feeling left. His relationship with Torrhen has received a particular upgrade with the boy trying to make up for those nine months of harsh behaviour. Also, things between him and Talisa have never been better. It was like nothing had happened between the two of them at all. They would just walk around the hallways for hours, just talking. Quite often they would be joined by Robb's roommate and Bethany, forming the ultimate party squad. He would also meet up quite often with Loras, but only when he was on his own. With Renly around, Robb didn't really want to interrupt any of them.

If there was one problem which those two weeks or so have brought him, it was the fact that his meetings with Theon, Jon and Wendel have become much more scarce than they were before. Before, Robb didn't have anyone else to talk to besides the three of them. Now that he has gained the trust of his housemates back and joined the Quidditch team, there were many more people he could soend time with. Of course, they would still spend together in the Great Hall during breakfast, and they would still meet after the lessons from time to time, but all of them seemed to be really busy these days. All of them except Theon. The thing was, Theon didn't have that many friends besides Robb. The closest he got to one was either Jon or Sam, and everyone knew how their relationship looked like. Without his best friend around, there wasn't much for the Slytherin to do. They would still meet on a daily basis, but they weren't as inseparable as they used to be. Robb couldn't deny feeling guilty each time he informed Theon he couldn't go out with him because he had already promised his roommates they would hang out together this evening. Still, when asked about it, the Slytherin replied that he was fine and that Robb should stop worrying so much about him. Maybe he really was too overprotective of Theon? He was a smart guy. He could take care of himself. He didn't need Robb to bother him twenty-four-seven.

The days have passed quickly, and soon Robb has realized it was already 29th of July. The last day he would spend at Hogwarts before returning home for two months. As much as he couldn't wait until he sees his family again, he already knew he was going to miss Hogwarts during the summer. Despite all the bad stuff that has happened to him there, he has also made many great memories in here: his first ride on the Hogwarts Express with Theon, all the moments with his housemates, watching his little brother get sorted, winning the Quidditch Cup for his house... yeah, he really liked studying at Hogwarts.

  * Come in! – professor Stark said loudly as his nephew knocked on the door.




The boy had promised him he would come to visit him in his office this evening to spend some time with him before the school year has ended. As he opened the door, he was happy to see there were no suitcases strewn around the room or any maps laying on the desk. Usually, during this part of the year, uncle Benjen was already planning his next big expedition to Colombia, Guatemala or any other country far away from the European continent. This time, however, his office remained just as clean and tidy as it was before.

  * Good evening, Robb – the man said with a nod. - Would you like some tea? I've already boiled the water.

  * No, thank you – his nephew replied, taking a seat on the opposite side of the desk.

  * It looks like I have to congratulate you on your final exam results. I've spoken to the other teachers, and apparently you have done great.

  * I've completely failed my Potions exam, though – the Hufflepuff remarked shyly.

  * And you've nailed all the other ones – uncle Benjen answered. - As a matter of fact, professor Lannister has told me you're one of his best students. You have one of the highest results from Transfiguration amongst all the second-years. You should really be proud of yourself.

It's not that Robb wasn't proud of himself. In fact, he was incredibly happy to hear professor Lannister, who he really respected, has praised him. This one positive remark felt way more rewarding that hundreds of professor Baelish's insincere compliments. It was just that the events of last year have really done a lot to humble Robb down. As happy as he was to hear his uncle speaking of him in such a positive way, he felt rather strange hearing all of this praise, considering all the things he had done in the past.

  * Besides – the man continued – that's not the only thing you can be proud of. I'm still impressed with that Porskoff Ploy you've done in your recent match. That truly was something.




Uncle Benjen wasn't the only person who seemed to think so.

In fact, Porskoff Ploy and the entire Hufflepuff-Slytherin showdown have quickly taken over the school as the week's hot topic. For a few days, no matter where he would go, Robb found himself constantly approached by school's other residents, who wanted to congratulate him on how he did in the game. This included the Gryffindor hotheaded team captain, Tormund Giantsbe, who has actually turned out to be quite a decent guy, and even professor Olenna Tyrell. (“ _At last something interesting has finally happened in this boring castle. Have you seen my house play? Ugh! What a bunch of buffoons!”)_

  * Thank you – Robb replied, slightly flustered by all the praise.

  * No problem – the Defence teacher said. - Now, tell me; has the Tigresa been doing well so far? And be honest with me. I know close to nothing about Quidditch brooms. If it's not right for you, I believe we can-

  * It's great, uncle, really.

  * I'm glad to hear that – the dark-haired man replied. - It's good to see you smiling again. Last year wasn't too kind on you.

  * It wasn't – the Hufflepuff nodded his head – but I've deserved it. I still can't believe I have actually done something like that. I'm not ashamed of being a Hufflepuff. Getting sorted there was one of the best things that have ever happened to me. How could I not see it until it was too late?

  * You shouldn't be too harsh on yourself – the uncle said with a sympathetic expression. - You were new here. You didn't know.

  * Still, I should've known better than to assume someone was a loser just because some Slytherin jerk I don't even like has said so.




For a moment, all the shame he felt when Ramsay was revealing the truth about his letter has come back to him. He didn't even want to raise his gaze towards the teacher, because he was sure all he would see was his anger and disappointment. Still, as he did so, he saw a particularly proud look on the man's face. He couldn't help but notice how much uncle Benjen resembled his older brother at the moment.

  * You've grown up so much during this year – he said. - You can't possibly imagine how proud of you I am.




The Hufflepuff smiled shyly in response. He really has changed since last year. Gone was the old, bratty, spoilt, lying Robb Stark. He wasn't the public enemy or the house traitor anymore. This Robb Stark, the new Robb Stark, was better than that. All the things that he had been put through during those past two years, all the Ramsays, angry aunts and creepy teachers, have taught him a lot. Now that all of his sins have at last been forgiven, all he could do was try to be the best person he could possibly be and, first and foremost, act like a true Hufflepuff.

  * You're staying the summer vacation with us – Robb asked after a brief moment of silence – aren't you?

  * As a matter of fact, I am – uncle Benjen replied. - I've already discussed it with your parents. They have both said they have nothing against me staying at your house for a few weeks. I've only promised to visit one of my old friends, so I'll be gone for a week, but I promise the rest of summer I will spend with you and Jon. Who knows? Maybe this time your mother will allow us to going camping somewhere farther than her garden?

  * That would be great – the curly-haired boy replied wth a chuckle.




Rest of the time Robb and his uncle have spent discussing the entire school year in detail, save for some of the more unpleasant subjects (literally everything involving the headmistress) and planning the summer vacation. Soon enough, however, uncle Benjen noticed that it was getting late already and politely asked his nephew to leave.

  * I wouldn't want you to spend your last night in here sitting here, talking to some old man – he explained.




While the boy surely didn't mind spending time with him, he listened to the teacher's advice and turned to leave, but not before pulling his uncle into one more huge hug.

  * Thank you for always having my back – he said. - I wouldn't have made it without you.

  * No problem, Robb – the man replied with warmth in his voice. - That's what the family is for. Now go. Find Theon or your brother or... whoever you hang out with these days and have some fun. You've worked hard for it.




Luckily for the boy, he didn't have to search too far in order to find anyone willing to spend his free time with him. As he stepped out of his uncle's office, he noticed the three boys already waiting for him in the hallway. It has come as a surprise for Robb to see Theon, Jon and Sam all in there. He was planning on reuniting the Breakfast Club for one more night at Hogwarts, but he hasn't told any of them about his plans yet. What were they all doing in here? And what was with those mischievous little smirks they've had painted all over their faces?

  * Theon? Jon? Sam? - Robb asked. - What are you doing in here?

  * Jon said that we would find you in here – the Slytherin replied quickly. - We have been looking for you.




There was this weird tone to Theon's voice that he could recognize very well by now. He would sound like that every single time he has done something stupid and demanded his best friend's attention. Robb had no idea what was going on with the three of them, yet he felt like it wouldn't end well for him.

  * Okay, but... why? - he asked, hoping he might be wrong. - Like, to hang out or something?

  * Yeah... or something – Theon replied, only furthering his best friend in his suspicions.



  * Oh, you're so going to love it! - Sam cut in, all of a sudden, his round face bright red from the excitement. - I know it already!

  * Shush it, meatball! - the Slytherin snapped immediately. - You're going to ruin all the surprise for him!




Surprise? What surprise? What were they up to? Seeing as he was going to get no information out of Theon, he turned for help towards the most trustworthy of the group.

  * Jon – Robb asked his brother – what are they talking about?

  * Oh, you'll see – the Gryffindor answered with a mysterious smile.




Okay, now he was beyond curious. Whatever Theon has come up with, he's managed to get Jon on board for it. How did he do that? Well, he either must've perfected the techniques of mind-control, or his plan was so good or entertaining that even Jon couldn't resist taking part in it.

  * And when will I see exactly? - he asked, quirking his eyebrow at the three boys.

  * If you choose to follow me – Theon said, offering the boy his hand – in a matter of minutes. Are you in, Stark?




It almost felt like a dare. For a second, Robb considered saying “no.” After all, he has managed to make it through the year without any major problems. He didn't need to mess it all up during his very last night at Hogwarts. Still, the curiosirty was getting the best of him. After a brief moment of silence, he smiled back at Theon and grabbed him by the hand.

  * I guess I am – he replied.




The Slytherin puffed his chest up in an exaggerated manner and led his friend down the hallway. Soon enough, the boys have found themselves below the school's ground floor. However, these weren't Robb's well-know basement territories. The place Theon was leading him to was one he has only been a few times to, including that one time during his first day at school. Robb has found himself in the dungeons, right in front of the entrance to Slytherins' dormitory.

  * Theon – he asked as they've reached their destination – what are we doing here? We shouldn't be in here.

  * Why not? - the boy replied. - I'm a Slytherin. Who's going to punish me for meeting with my friends outside of my own dormitory? Besides, there's a reason why we have brought you here.

  * The reason being?




Instead of answering, the blond just smiled in a mischievous way and turned his gaze towards Robb's younger brother.

  * See – Jon began – me and the rest of the guys have come to a conclusion that the conflict between you and Ramsay lacks an ending. Something that would tie up the loose ends between the two of you. After all, you didn't really get the chance to face off with Ramsay on the pitch, and I realize that he has already gotten his comeuppance getting punished by professor Lannister and kicked out of the team by Arianne. There was also this whole banner thing, which I've found actually really funny, but all this time we felt like something was missing. Something which would give your story the ending you deserve. Something like a closure... so, Theon has come up with a plan.



  * What did you do? - Robb asked in a threatening tone, turning towards the Slytherin.

  * Hey! - the boy replied, visibly offended by his friend's response. - Why do you already assume that I've done something wrong?! That's very rude of you! Don't forget I've come up with all of this only for you. Besides, I know for a fact that you're going to love it.

  * Oh, really?

  * You really will – Sam butted in. - In fact, I think you might _badger out_ completely when you see this.




The Ravenclaw chuckled at his own clever reference, only to regain his composure as Theon sent a particularly vicious death glare his way. “Badger out?” What did he mean by that? Right as Robb began to wonder how exactly Theon's stupid plan could involve badgers, a loud boom has sounded off from inside the Slytherin dormitory. Neither of Robb's companions could refrain from snorting with laughter as they've heard that, leaving their friend completely dumfounded by what just happened.

  * Is that... - he began.

  * Yup, that's the surprise – Theon replied, turning his gaze towards the common room entrance.




Soon enough, the secret passage to the Slytherin common room has opened up, releasing a large could of yellow fumes into the hallway. For a moment Robb couldn't see a thing, but not a moment later a silhouette of a person appeared in the doorway. A loud coughing noise could be heard as the stranger approached the boys.

  * Is that him? Is that him? - Wendel asked Jon, pulling by the boy's hand in excitement.




Then the yellow clouds have finally thinned down, revealing no one else but Ramsay Bolton. This time, however, he looked a bit different than usual. It was hard to say why. Maybe it was because of the clothes he was wearing? Maybe he has changed his hairstyle? Or maybe it was the large black-and-white painting on his face resembling the marking of a badger? Honestly, Robb didn't even know what was the funniest part about the entire situation. The face paint itself? Ramsay's murderous facial expression? Or maybe the loud laughter Theon has burst out with as he saw his housemate emerge from the common room. Sam was right about one thing. Robb was for sure loving what he saw.

  * GREYJOY! - the Slytherin screeched out in fury as he noticed the four boys laughing at him! - YOU TRAITOROUS LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!

  * Hey, Robb – Theon managed to say – am I drunk or does this gigantic badger know how to speak?

  * Stop it! - the Hufflepuff chuckled out, unable to control his laughter.

  * You're so going to pay me for this, Greyjoy! - Ramsay yelled out. - You, the fat one, the baby Stark and... you, Stark, I will save for the last!




Robb was fairly sure that under all of the face paint the Slytherin's face was blood red from anger. Never before had he seen Ramsay loose his cool like that. Usually, he was the one who tried to provoke such reactions from other people. However, as this year seemed to prove, not even Ramsay was indestructible. Once he saw there was nothing he could possibly do to Robb anymore, his quick temper has revealed itself in a spectacular way. Surely, he didn't like to see things get out of his hands.

  * Come on, Bolton – Jon said as he finally stopped laughing. - You're only making a fool of yourself. You've lost already. Just go wash that thing off your face and give it up already.




As a matter of fact, a large crowd has assembled around the boys to witness the ensuing mess. It was hard to blame them for being so interested. Everyone present in the common room could hear Theon's paint bomb go off. However, it looked like there weren't many students willing to take Ramsay's side in the argument. He even saw Locke and Myranda standing somewhere amongst the group, yet none of them seemed to keen on helping their leader out. Maybe Ramsay wasn't as popular amongst his housemates as he would like to think?

  * Give it up? - the Slytherin asked, before sending a particularly chilling smile towards the younger Stark. - You wish I would. There's no way I will let you get away with this pathetic little prank of yours. Oh, no... you all better say goodbye to your families before leaving to Hogwarts next year, because I'll make sure none of you are coming back home. Especially you, Stark! Don't forget that I _always_ keep my promises!




That said, he sent one more vicious glare towards Robb and then turned around, running off towards the nearest bathroom.

  * Ramsay, wait! - Myranda moaned out, following after the Slytherin.




Seeing as the show was over, the remaining Slytherins, watching the incident from behind the entrance have slowly returned to whatever they have been doing before, leaving only Robb and his friends standing in the corridor, laughing at the entire situation.

  * See? - Theon began. - I knew you were going to love it.

  * Fine, I admit – the boy replied. - It was funny, but what if Ramsay was serious about the next year?

  * Then we will take care of it. We have both managed to make it out alive this year, after all.

  * I guess you're right – the Hufflepuff said eventually, even though, for some reason, he couldn't help but feel things might not go as smoothly as Theon thought they would.




That's when the boy noticed the Slytherin Quidditch captain, Arianne Martell, quickly making her way towards the boys. Her serious expression seemed to say she didn't enjoy the Slytherin's prank one bit.

  * Okay – she asked – which one of y'all has come up with this stupid idea?




For a moment Robb considered raising his head, not wanting his best friend to get scolded for sticking up for him, but seeing as the boy has already admitted to his wrongs, he stayed silent. Arianne looked over at the boy, and for a while it seemed like she was going to give him the smackdown of his life, but as she smiled, everything has become clear.

  * Good job, Greyjoy – the girl said, and then turned back towards the Hufflepuff. - I never really liked him that much anyway.




Such a shame it was Arianne's last year at Hogwarts. Robb was really starting to like her. That said, the Slytherin girl left with a rather pleased smile on her face.

  * For a while I thought she was going to kick my butt – Theon sighed in relief, to which Robb replied with a chuckle and put his arm around the boy's back.

  * Well – Jon said suddenly – while it was fun seeing Ramsay go mad, I think me and Sam have to go now.

  * Really? - Robb asked, sad to see his brother leave so early. - I've thought you might stay with us for a while longer. Are you really sure you can't stay?

  * I'm sorry, Robb – the chubby Ravenclaw replied politely – but we've already promised our friends we would spend the evening with them.

  * Your friends?




As he heard that, Robb looked over at his younger brother in surprise. It's not that he didn't think Jon was capable of making friends. It's just that so far Jon didn't seem interested in doing so. What has changed?

  * Yeah – the dark-haired boy answered – my roommate, Grenn, and his friend Pypar have asked if we could come over.

  * I can not recall you talking about Grenn or Pypar ever before – the older brother remarked, surprised.

  * Yeah... it's kind of a new development.




As sad as he was to hear that Jon has already had his evening planned, he couldn't help but smile seeing as the usually shy boy has finally found himself his own group of friends to hang out with.

  * Alright – he replied – have fun then, guys.

  * Wait – Theon interrupted right as the boy were about to leave – does that mean he will finally leave us alone?

  * You're an asshole, Greyjoy – the younger Stark snapped back quickly.

  * Are guys fighting again? - Sam asked, taking a look at both of the boys. - I've thought you have gotten over it after Ramsay's prank? I've even seen you hugging each other after Hufflepuff has won the Quidditch Cup.

  * You saw what? - Robb asked.

  * Nothing! - Jon replied, placing his hand over Sam's mouth. - You have to forgive him. He's very excited about tonight, so he's saying thing that are completely not true. What time is it? I believe it's late already. I'll see you tomorrow, Robb. Bye!




The Ravenclaw tried to say something else, but Jon pushed him out of the hallway as quickly as he only could, leaving Robb with a mental image of his best friend and his younger brother not only being able to exist in one place at the same time, but even sharing a hug with each other. As he turned towards Theon for commentary, he received no straight answer.

  * I am not responding to any accusations without the presence of my lawyer.




Still, Robb knew what happened, and no one was going to take that away from him. These two were going to be full-on besties by the time fifth-grade has ended.

  * So, Theon – the Hufflepuff began, his hand still wrapped over his best friend's back – how are we going to spend our last night at Hogwarts?

  * I say we get piss wasted and throw a huge party in the Great Hall – the boy said – but knowing us we're just going to sit in the hallway with a few packs of Every Flavour Beans and a couple bottles of soda.

  * Sound fun to me – Robb replied.




Still, right as they were about to step out of the dungeons part of the castle, they've noticed a few familiar faces making their way towards them down the hallway. Robb was surprised to find out these were his roommates, Podrick, Torrhen and Wendel, accompanied by Talisa and Bethany. It seemed like they've been looking for him, as when the Karstark boy has noticed him, he started to energetically wave his arms towards the boy.

  * Stark! There you are!

  * Guys – Robb said – what are you doing here?




After all, dungeons weren't a usual place for the boy to find his friends at.

  * We have been searching for you literally everywhere – Podrick explained. - It was only when we've encountered your brother, Jon, that he told us you were here. I would've never guessed to search for you in there... but I guess it makes more sense seeing as you are not alone. Hi, Theon.

  * Hi, Podrick – the Slytherin replied, clearly uncomfortable with the meeting.




While Robb was sure the Hufflepuff didn't have any bad intentions, his greeting might have come across as a bit cold towards Theon. Still, it was understandable why the two of them might've been so awkward around each other. After all, his housemates must've not thought too highly of Theon until recently. Yet another evil Slytherin who their friend has inexplicably chosen over them. Over time, however, they must've realized that Theon was no Ramsay or Locke, and that he was going to stick around him for a while longer then they might've initially thought. If they still wanted to be friends with Robb, they would need to get over the fact that the boy was going nowhere, whether they liked it or not.

  * Why were you looking for me? - Robb asked.

  * Well – he heard Talisa replied, making his little heart beat a little beat faster – me and the guys were planning to hang out for a while today, since, you know, it's our last night at Hogwarts, but I guess that you and Theon have already decided on spending the evening together, so we're not going to bother you any longer.




As much as Robb would've enjoyed to spend his last night at Hogwarts with Tal- all of his friends, that is, he knew he could not just ditch Theon like this. Besides, he wanted to spend some time on his own with the boy. Recently, he felt like he wasn't there enough for him. Spending the last day at Hogwarts together seemed like a perfect opportunity to make it up to him. The Hufflepuff has already opened his mouth to apologize to the girl, but he stopped as he heard Theon speak first.

  * No, it's fine. We weren't planning on doing anything special anyways. You're free to take him, Maegyr.




Robb couldn't deny being a little surprised to hear Theon say that. He really hoped that the two of them might spend the evening together. He really was looking forwards to eating Every Flavour Beans and drinking soda with him. Did Theon not reciprocate his feelings?

  * Theon – he said – I've already promised you we would hang out together. I can't just leave you now.



  * You can – the Slytherin replied. - Look, I won't be mad. You've spent the entire year with me. I will survive one night without you.

  * But Theon-

  * Robb – Wendel interrupted – you know you could just take Theon with you? None of us would have anything against it.

  * Now that's an idea – Torrhen added, snapping his finger in approval.




That truly was a good idea. Maybe then he would finally be able to convince his roommates how much of a great guy Theon really was? After all, Talisa has already met him, and she seemed to like him. Besides, given both of the boys' chaotic nature and mischievous humour, Robb was sure Theon and Torrhen might strike a chord with each other. He looked over at the Slytherin, hoping he would be eager to tag along his Hufflepuff friends, yet the boy seemed rather unconvinced by the idea.

  * No – he said. – You've come here for Robb. I wouldn't want to ruin the evening for you.

  * You wouldn't ruin anything, Theon – the Hufflepuff reassured him. - Seriously, you should come with me. It will be fun, I swear.

  * Just come with us – Talisa added. - There's nothing to be ashamed of.

  * See? Talisa says it's fine. I think you should go with us. Please, Theon.




Robb could see he was making Theon feel really uncomfortable. Usually, he wouldn't dare to put anybody in such a situation. He didn't want to pressure anyone to do something they didn't want to do. This time, however, he was sure it would work out just fine for everybody involved. Theon and his friends would finally realize how much they have in common and find themselves having fun together. All if Theon has agreed to go with them.

  * ...I'm sorry, guys – the Slytherin replied eventually. - Maybe next time. I think you should go, though.

  * A-are you sure? - Robb asked, stuttering a bit.

  * Yeah – Theon answered, cracking a little smile towards the Hufflepuff – after all, you have barely even spoken to these guys for almost a year now. I bet you have a lot of catching up to do.




That said, he pulled Robb into a hug once more and left without looking back. Robb stood still for a minute, watching his best friend leave. He couldn't deny he felt a little brokenhearted about the entire situation. He really thought Theon would eventually agree to come along. He knew he might feel a little weird around Robb's friends at first, but he would grow to like them. He was sure Theon would do that for him. Turns out he might've been wrong about it.

  * See you around, Theon! - he suddenly heard Torrhen say from behind him. - What a nice guy. A shame he didn't stick around with us.




An upside to only four Hufflepuff boys being in Robb's year was that they could invite whoever they only wished to invite into their bedroom without interrupting anyone else (especially ever since Wendel has learned how to soundproof the room using magic.) The evening seemed to be going just great for everyone in the room. Torrhen was currently in the middle of telling everyone his exclusive, first-view commentary on each of the Hufflepuff Quidditch matches. As per usual, enthusiastic reactions from the rest of the boys followed right afterwards. In fact, the only person who didn't seem to be having a good time was Robb. It's not that he wasn't happy to spend his last night at Hogwarts with friends he had been fighting so hard to get back. Still, every single time he would look at the empty bottles of soda laying on the floor, he would remind himself of the fact that Theon could've been right there with him, yet for some reason, he didn't want to come. Why?

  * What are you thinking of? - he heard someone ask.




As Robb turned around, he noticed Talisa laying on the bed just above him.

  * Oh, nothing – the boy replied with a smile, trying to hide his hurt feelings.

  * You're thinking of Theon, aren't you? - Talisa asked, almost as if she knew.

  * I just don't get it – Robb sighed. - Why didn't he come?

  * You know, maybe it was just hard for him to see that he's not your only friend anymore? He's your best friend, after all. Of course, he would feel a little jealous to see you leaving him.

  * But I did not want to leave him – the Hufflepuff said, taking another sip of the banana soda. - He was the one who told me to go. I was going to stay with him.

  * Well, you know what they say – Talisa replied. - If you truly love someone, you have to give him the freedom. If he really loves you, then he'll come back around... or something like that. I really don't remember how it goes.




That said, she took the bottle from Robb's hands and also took a sip of the soda, but Robb didn't even notice. Talisa's words kept on ringing in his head. “ _If he really loves you, then he'll come back around.”_ Before, as per usual, he thought that after an entire year of dealing with him and his problems Theon might've simply had enough of him and has simply decided to ditch him as the right opportunity has arrived. However, what if Talisa was right? Maybe Theon hasn't ditched him because he didn't like him anymore? Maybe he has ditched him because he liked him that much?

  * Robb? - Talisa asked.

  * Yes?

  * I'm really glad you're not an asshole anymore – the dark-haired girl said with a chuckle.

  * I know – Robb smiled in response. - So am I.




Just like that, his evening got so much brighter in a matter of seconds.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the first time in a while I'm posting a chapter so early, and I'm not sure if I can handle it.
> 
> Anyways, there's not much for me to discuss in this chapter. Basically, I'm just tying up a few loose threads and setting up a few things for the next chapter (which, with the way it's going right now, might appear on here in a few years). There's also some Robb/Theon drama on the horizon, but the same could be said about nearly any chapter, let's be honest. That said, I really hope that you have been enjoying the story. There's still one more chapter I have to upload, and I can not wait for you to get to the end of it.
> 
> Next week: THE FINAL CHAPTER (yay!)


	22. Azkaban

When Robb woke up, it was morning already. He was panting. There was sweat all over his body. It took him a moment to realize where he was and what was going on around him, but as he did, he sighed in relief. It was just another nightmare. The Hufflepuff has been dealing with them for a while now. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when the recurring bad dreams have begun. It might've been the day Ramsay made a fool out of him in front of the entire Great Hall, but he wasn't really sure about that. Back then, that random nightmare didn't seem important enough for him to keep the dare. Still, these weren't just random nightmares. Over the course of his second year, they would only grow stronger and more frequent. Usually, it was just one and same dream he would have. Still, when he woke up, he couldn't recall a single thing about it. Almost as if it didn't happen. How did he know it was the same dream then? The burning pain inside of his chest he would feel the very second he opened his eyes was always the same. He might've had no idea what he was dreaming of, but he knew one thing – he suffered a lot.

Dreams aside, Robb rested his head back on the soft pillow, trying to forget about yet another unpleasant wake-up call. He tried to focus back on the real world. What day was it today? 30th of June. His final day at Hogwarts. Ugh, soon the alarm clock would probably start ringing and he would have to get up and get ready of the end-of-therm feast. At least there would be some good food down there. What else? He needed to finish packing his luggage. He would've done it all yesterday, but he and his friends have stayed up until late at night talking and having fun. Was there anything else he had to do before he leaves? Theon! Of course! He had to talk to him about what yesterday. Why did he leave? Why did he not want to spend his last night at Hogwarts with his best friend? So much to do, and so little time. He tried to close his eyes, trying to get some rest now that the nightmare was over, but the sound of an alarm clock going off has effectively hindered his plans. If there was one thing worse than the suffering he had to go through in his nightmares, it was the suffering he had to go through getting out of his bed to turn it off.

It took him a while to get to a point where he could show himself to the rest of the world. Naturally, his chestnut curls have only managed to make the job harder for him as that day they've all collectively decided to riot against the boy's comb. Still, a few minutes later, he was ready to go. The only thing missing was the yellow-and-black tie around his neck. This exact time, last year, he felt miserable just looking at it. He was the house traitor. He didn't deserve to wear yellow and black like a true Hufflepuff. A true Hufflepuff would never do something like that. Today, however, he couldn't help but smile seeing his reflection in the mirror. The reflection was not that of a traitor anymore. That was the reflection of a true Hufflepuff, and truth be told, he liked what he saw. How stupid was he to believe Ramsay and the rest? Hufflepuff was not the losers' house. Actually, it was far from it, and if this year was to be an indication, that viewpoint was going to change soon. Hufflepuffs were some of the kindest, most polite and hard-working people Robb has ever met. If that was what made them losers, then he was glad to be one of them.

  * Finally – Bethany said as Robb and his friends have finally left the room.




She and Talisa must've been waiting for them in the common room for a long time already.

  * I'm sorry – Torrhen replied, patting Robb on the back. - Our Prince Charming has decided to occupy the bathroom for nearly half-an-hour.

  * It was not half-an-hour! - the boy defended himself. - Besides, you know what they say; can't rush a true beauty.




Hearing that, Talisa couldn't help but smile. Speaking of beauty, she looked really pretty today. Her long, brown hair was tied back into a neat braid, really bringing out her slender face. Okay, maybe Robb's tiny kind of crush on the girl was bigger than he initially would've thought. No biggie. Damn, was he blushing again?

  * So – Podrick began as the Hufflepuffs were heading down the stairs towards the Great Hall – Torrhen, how are you going to spend the summer?

  * Oh, we're staying home this year – the blond replied. - I guess Harrion will go somewhere on his own, and I will have to take care of Edd and Alys for the rest of summer.

  * How about you Talisa?

  * My family and I are going to visit my aunt in Spain – the girl said cheerfully.

  * You've got lucky – the Karstark remarked, visibly offended. - I don't have any family members in cool places like you.

  * And you Robb? - Podrick asked eventually.

  * Well – the brown-haired boy replied – I think I'm staying home this year as well. Uncle Benjen is finally going to stay with us the whole summer, so I can't miss out on it.




There was also one more person Robb was hoping would visit him during those two months, but after what had happened yesterday, he didn't want to bring that up in front of his housemates. He and his parents have already discussed the idea through the letters (it was a really busy week for poor, old Balthazar), and they have agreed on Theon spending a few weeks at the Starks'. Apparently, he has made a good impression on them the last time. It was a good information since the only member of Robb's family that the Slytherin wasn't completely terrified of was, somewhat ironically, his father. Of course, that list excluded Jon, who Theon already knew and surely didn't care that much about. It seemed like it was going to be a pleasant summer for Robb Stark, or at least yesterday it did. Now he wasn't so sure about it. He needed to find Theon and talk to him.

Luckily enough, as the Hufflepuffs arrived by the Great Hall entrance, Robb could notice his best friend's messy blonde hair sticking out from amongst the crowd of students.

  * Theon! - he called out with a smile, having caught the glimpse of the Slytherin.




The boy stopped. Robb raised his arm to wave at him, expecting Theon to turn around, but that didn't happen. In fact, not only did the Slytherin not turn around hearing his friends voice, but he even seemed to speed up as he disappeared int the sea of other students. The smile faded away from Robb's face. He didn't think it would go down like that. For a while, he was thinking that his worries might've been completely baseless. Maybe it was just him that was paranoid? After all, why would Theon not want to talk to him? Robb understood he might've put Theon in an uncomfortable situation yesterday, but they were still friends. Right?

The feast itself wasn't anything to write home about. It wasn't as exciting as the beginning of the year one or as climatic as the Hallowe'en one. Basically, the winners of the House Cup have been announced (it came as no surprise that the Badgers have triumphed over the other houses, especially Slytherin, which due to Ramsay's actions, has lost a rather large amount of points), a few rather unimportant announcements have been made, and then, headmistress Arryn has decided to sum it all up with a “quick” speech. Robb couldn't care less about what his crazy aunt had to say, but judging from the snippets of it which have reached him, it seemed to be just as hilariously overwrought as he would've expected.

  * Also – she continued – I would like to thank my second-in-command and also my good friend, professor Baelish, for helping me throughout this year. Whenever I needed it, he was always there to support me.

  * Yeah – Robb muttered under his breath – with his tongue down your throat.

  * Did you say something? - asked Wendel, who sat right next to the boy.

  * No – he replied quickly.




He didn't want to tell anyone about his aunt's secret love affair yet. It was not just another random topic of the year, like the seventh-years caught smoking Gillyweed in the greenhouse or a newbie lying to his parents about the sorting ceremony. Whatever the thing between aunt Lysa and professor Baelish was, it was most certainly not meant to be discovered by the rest of school. After all, the Potions teacher did say he was going to get his revenge on someone working at Hogwarts. Who could it be that he wanted to get rid off? Well, Robb felt like he was going to find out soon, maybe even the very next year. For some reason, he could see professor Baelish wanting to get rid off professor Varys. They clearly did not like each other, so Robb wouldn't feel surprised to return to Hogwarts after the summer is over, only to find out the man has gone missing under mysterious circumstances.

  * In conclusion – the redheaded woman said, followed by a choir of relieved sighs from the students assembled in the Great Hall – this has turned out to be a rather successful year for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite all the hardships that these recent two years have brought us-




There she stopped, pretending to wipe the tears away from her eyes.

  * We have managed to come out victorious – she continued. - I'm proud to be able to call myself the headmistress of such a wonderful place filled with all the young talent... SILENCE!




The sudden yell has almost given poor Robb a heart attack. Pretty sure aunt Lysa would've considered that yet another “victorious moment” in this “successful year.”

  * And remember – the woman added, the tone of her voice becoming deeper and a bit more ominous – if someone, no matter who it was, would've posed the threat against our school and all the ideals that my dear late husband Jon Arryn has been trying to plant inside of us until his very last days, I will personally make sure that person is defeated and destroyed. No one is going to ruin the good name of Hogwarts, I promise you that.




The speech was over, but not one person present in the hall was clapping their hands. Everyone just looked on at the woman as if she was insane (which she admittedly was.) Even the teachers seemed to be completely surprised by the headmistress's sudden outburst... well, all of them except for one. Professor Baelish. He simply observed everything going on around him with a barely noticeable smile on his face. For almost everyone present in the Great Gall, professor Arryn's final words might've come off as hilariously over-the-top, yet not any more worrying than what the woman would say on the daily. Only Robb could see that there might've been something more to the headmistress's words than just empty threats. Whatever it was that these two were planning on, he did not have any good feelings about it.

Not a moment after the headmistress has finally ended her longish, boring speech, all kinds of food have appeared on the table. At least now Robb could get his mind off the teachers' schemes and focus on something a bit more pleasant, just like the delicious cherry pie laying right in front of him. In fact, every kind of pie would do, besides the banana one. He had some bad memories involving it. Even with Torrhen gladly volunteering to take the first bite, risking yet another belching spectacle in the Great Hall, he declined. Maybe one day Robb would be able to take a look at the banana pie without having flashbacks to that traumatic experience, but today was not the day.

After he was done eating, the Hufflepuff turned around in his seat to take a look towards the Slytherin table. At first he couldn't find Theon sitting there. Who did he notice, however, was Ramsay Bolton, in the company of his friends, aggressively chomping down on a chicken leg. Not exactly the healthiest choice of a breakfast, but who was Robb to judge? By the looks of it, the badger face paint has still not come off completely. The white parts seemed to have given into the magical mixture of water and soap, but the darker ones remained almost as visible as the very second Ramsay has walked out of the common room, swearing revenge upon those who have wronged him. It took Robb a while to find Theon amongst the other students, but finally he has noticed the boy sitting right next to Renly and a few other fourth-years. It looked like sharing one bedroom has really brought the two Slytherins closer. He continued looking on at his best friend, hoping that eventually he would notice him staring, and a few minutes later he did... only to dodge Robb's gaze as quickly as he could and return to talking with Renly. Now there was no denying. Theon was clearly avoiding him. What was the deal with him? Was he mad at him? Sad? Embarrassed? What was going on with Theon Greyjoy?

  * Still no answers? - Talisa asked, not even looking up from the table.

  * None at all – the boy replied truthfully.




Before, he used to feel kind of weird when discussing his complicated and kind of dysfunctional relationship with his best friend with his ultimate girl crush, but by now, he has gotten fully used to it.

  * You know you're not going to solve any problems by staring at him like a creep? – the dark-haired girl remarked, taking a look towards him.




He knew Talisa was right. He needed to talk to Theon. What was he waiting for? So what if Theon didn't want to speak to him? They have been for two years now, so he deserved to know what was going on. If he has done something wrong, he needed to know, in order to make things right with him. Robb has made himself a promise that the very moment the feast has ended, he would march straight towards the Slytherin table and ask Theon about his behaviour. He has barely managed to get his old friends back. He couldn't take losing Theon as well.

Soon afterwards, the headmistress rose up from her seat once again and announced that the end-of-therm feast was finally over. Now, the students were going to go back again into their rooms to get dressed and leave Hogwarts, headed towards the Hogsmeade train station. Robb knew he didn't have much time left before he has to leave. Right as the students have started to get up from their seats, Robb took off towards the Slytherin table, hoping to speak with Theon about what happened yesterday, but that's when he felt someone wrap their hand around his wrist tightly. For a moment he thought it might've been Talisa, but the grip seemed to strong to be her. As he turned around, he noticed no one else but professor Baelish standing in front of him. Surely he must've wanted to say goodbye to his favorite student before he leaves Hogwarts for the summer. Well, bad luck!

  * Professor Baelish – Robb began – I'm afraid it's not the right moment for you to-

  * I know – the teacher replied quickly – I get that you're probably in a hurry, but I've just wanted to remind you of the necklace you was supposed to give to your mother.




Oh, this... yeah, for a moment Robb has forgotten it existed. Too bad it did. Still, Robb was surprised to see such a serious look on the teacher's face. Most of the time, it seemed like his trademark prideful, weaselly half-smirk was the only expression he was capable of. Today, however, the man seemed downright deperate to talk to the boy. There was something wrong with him. The look in his eyes. The iron grip around the Hufflepuff's wrist. While Baelish was always a rather unpleasant guy, he had never come across so creepy before.

  * Sure, I'll remember – Robb replied with a smile, and then proceeded to walk away.




However, the teacher did not let go. In fact, his grip around the boy's arm seemed to have only tightened. Robb could feel the man's fingernails digging into his skin. He would've considered swatting him away and yelling at him for causing him pain, but there was something so incredibly unsettling about his stare, that he was afraid to even make a move. Never before had he seen professor Baelish acting like that.

  * Robb – he said, looking the Hufflepuff straight into the eyes – I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, I will always be there for you. If you had any problems, you could always tell to me about them. Do you understand me?




Robb only nodded his head in response, too surprised by the teacher's behaviour to even say anything. He knew very well by now that he could always count on professor Baelish, even if he didn't want to. Why did the man feel the need to share this piece of information with him right now?

  * Good – the man replied, letting go of Robb's arm and letting his usual half-smirk back onto his face. - Well, have a good summer, Robb... and don't forget about the necklace.




That said, he let go of the boy's hand and disappeared almost as quickly as he arrived. Even by his standards, that was a particularly unpleasant exchange. Once the man was gone, Robb turned around, hoping he might still find Theon sitting by the Slytherin table, but it seemed the boy has made his way out of the Great Hall already. Of course Baelish would have to go and ruin his plans him one last time before the summer break begins. Getting Theon to talk to him was going to be hard already, but finding him in this gigantic castle was whole another thing. How big were the chances that the teacher Baelish was talking about being fired was himself?

As Robb walked down the hallway, he couldn't help but wonder how weird the castle must've looked like during summer, with none of the students around. Even considering the sheer size of the castle, it was often tough to find a place that was completely empty. There was always so much going on in here. All the noise and commotion. He could barely even imagine how the school would look like completely empty. Even now, with many of the students having left towards the Hogsmeade train station, he would stumble upon the other students leaving in a hurry. Still, there was no Theon amongst them. Was he even still in the castle? He has made his way out of the Great Hall rather quickly. It wouldn't surprise Robb if the boy was already well on his way towards the Hogwarts Express. How was he supposed to set things right with him if he couldn't even find him? Luckily, as he stepped out of the basement, he noticed a few familiar faces, who could help him localize his missing friend.

  * Jon! Sam! - he yelled out as he noticed his younger brother and his friend making their way down the staircase.

  * Robb, I didn't know you were still there – the Gryffindor said. - I thought you have already left with Torrhen and the rest of Hufflepuffs.

  * I had to stay a little longer – the older boy explained. - I was looking for Theon, but I could not find him. Do you happen to know where he might be?

  * Why would I care? It's not like I like him or anything like that.




Robb only raised his eyebrow in response to his brother. Apparently, he was still trying to convince everyone that he and Theon did not share a hug after Hufflepuffs have won the Quidditch Cup, hoping that eventually everyone would forget about it. Not going to happen.

  * Actually – Sam replied – I have seen him making his way through the hallway with his sister. I have even waved towards him, but he just turned around and pretended like he didn't see me, which frankly, I consider rather rude of him.




The Hufflepuff was rather surprised to hear of the his best friend's strange behaviour. After all, if he was upset with Robb, he had all the right not to speak to him, but to ignore Sam as well? He hadn't even done anything wrong.

  * Is there somehing wrong, Robb? - Jon asked, concerned with his older brother.

  * No, it's fine – he replied. - It's just... there was this thing with me and Theon yesterday when you have left, and now I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me on purpose. I think he's mad at me.

  * Does he have a reason to be mad at you?

  * I don't know... – Robb said, visibly confused. - Maybe a bit? But I wasn't trying to hurt him. I've just hoped he would want to spend some time with my housemates.

  * Look, Robb – his younger brother began, grabbing Robb by the shoulders – whatever it was, I doubt it's really that serious. You guys are best friends, after all. Aren't you? I don't think some silly argument will get in the way of your friendship.

  * Yeah – Sam added – I bet that once we get into the train, he will already be waiting for us in our compartment.

  * You think so? - the brown-haired boy asked.

  * I do – the Ravenclaw nodded his head.




Sam's words have really managed to fill Robb with hope that once he gets to the Hogwarts Express, his favorite Slytherin would already be there, waiting for him with his smug half-smirk and a pack of jelly beans. That's why, when he has actually gotten inside the train, he was disappointed to see their usual compartment completely empty. For a while Robb wondered if maybe they have stepped inside the wrong one, but once he looked at the crudely carved out portrait of headmistress Arryn, he realized that this was indeed their usual spot. Seeing as there was no Theon around, he plopped down on one of the seats with a cheerless look on his face.

  * Well, everyone is allowed to make mistakes once in a while – Sam said in his own defence.




Soon afterwards the first, lazy movements of the overloaded Hogwarts Express could've been felt amongst the passengers, and just a moment later the train has left Hogsmeade, headed straight towards London. That was it. Robb's second year at Hogwarts has officially come to an end. To think that just a few months ago he was worried if he would make it. Suffice to say, this time around, he was going to return home triumphantly. He came, he apologized, he conquered. In fact, there was only one thing keeping this moment from being a perfect ending of an incredibly busy year. Theon was still nowhere to be found. Robb has really tried to focus on anything else, to have a good time with his younger brother and his friend, but he couldn't. Even if he did manage to forget about it for a second, he would always find himself looking back towards the compartment, hoping that all of a sudden the door would open, revealing the scrawny Slytherin standing there. He cared about him more than he would like to admit. After all, Theon wasn't just his best friend. Throughout those two years at Hogwarts, the boys have become something of a family to each other... or at least he has thought so before. How was it now? He had no idea. Theon's absence surely wouldn't have affected him so much if they had parted on good terms. However, that wasn't the case here. There was something bothering his best friend, and he didn't know what was going on. If he had done something wrong, why couldn't he just tell him?

Suddenly, the door leading to the boys' compartment have swung open. Robb turned around immediately, startling his companions in the process, expecting to see Theon walk inside. To his disappointment, the only thing he noticed was some random first-year turning around and closing the door behind him. For Robb, that was the straw which broke the camel's back. He had to find Theon and talk to him, and he was going to do it right now.

  * I'm sorry, guys – Robb excused himself, getting up from his seat. - I need to go.

  * Where are you going? - Sam asked in puzzlement.

  * To find Theon – the Hufflepuff replied. - There's something wrong with him and I need to find out what. I'll be back in a couple of minutes, I promise.




That said, he looked over at Jon, silently asking for his approval. The Gryffindor, while clearly not too keen on having the Greyjoy boy anywhere around him, eventually nodded his head in agreement. After all, Robb wasn't leaving him alone now.

Immediately, he bolted out of the compartment, leaving the two boys behind, and headed towards the back of the train. This time, he knew where to search for his best friend. He has noticed by now that the seating inside of the train would remain mostly the same throughout the school year. If that was also the case with Yara, he would have no problem finding Theon. He was done waiting. If Theon didn't want to tell him what was going on, then he was going to find out himself. He opened the door leading to the second carriage and walked over towards the door of what was probably Yara's compartment, his hand already placed at the doorknob, ready to confront his best friend. However, right as when he was about to enter, the doubts have kicked in. What if Theon didn't want to see him here? What if him being here would only further ruin their friendship? What if he was going to lose his best friend? Maybe he has already gotten bored of him? After all, they have spent nearly two years together. It would be hard to blame him for it. That said, if he didn't open the door and talk to him, he wouldn't get him back either. He had to do it. The boy closed his eyes, took a deep breath, trying to collect his thought, and as he was ready, he swung the compartment door open.

Robb's intuition was right, for once. As the door opened, he noticed no one else but Theon Greyjoy sitting inside alone, surrounded only by bags and suitcases of various size and color.

  * Robb? - the boy asked, genuinely surprised as he saw his friend standing in the doorway. - What are you doing in here?

  * What am _I_ doing in here? - the Hufflepuff replied




What kind of question was that? How come he didn't expect that his best friend might want to spend the ride back home with him?

  * I was looking for you – he continued. - What are _you_ doing here?

  * Well, it's Yara's compartment, so...

  * I know whose compartment it is, Theon – Robb interrupted the boy. - I've just thought that you might want to join me, Jon and Sam in our usual compartment.

  * Oh... - the Slytherin said quietly, letting his gaze down towards the ground – I did want to join you, guys. I-I just didn't know if... well, you know... you were going to sit there.




As he said that, he took a quick look towards Robb, then quickly letting his gaze back down. Robb wasn't sure if he has even managed to notice the look of complete confusion painted all over his face. He didn't know if they were going to sit there? Where else would they sit? Robb and Theon have occupied this compartment almost ever since their first day at Hogwarts. Of course that's where they were going to sit. Something was not right about Theon's story.

  * What are you talking about? - Robb asked, slightly frustrated with the boy's answer. - It's our compartment. Where else would I sit?




Theon, however, did not reply. He only sat there in silence, looking down on the floor, as he always did when he felt uncomfortable. Still, that didn't mean he didn't have anything to say. You could tell by his expression that there was something bothering him. There was something he wanted to tell the Hufflepuff, yet for some reason, he chose not to. How was Robb supposed to make things right with him, when he didn't even know what he has done wrong in the first place?

  * I know you have been avoiding me – he continued after a while. - I don't know why you're mad at me, but if there's anything I've done wrong-

  * You haven't done anything wrong, Robb! - Theon said, finally raising his head from above the ground. - It's not about it.

  * Then what is it about?! - the boy asked, clearly done with things being hidden from him.




Apparently, the Slytherin has caught onto that, and realizing that there was no point in avoiding the conversation, he took a deep breath and looked his friend into the eyes.

  * I've just thought that you might want to spend your ride home with your Hufflepuff friends. I know how hard you have been fighting to get them back. It just seemed logical to me you might want to spend some time with them instead.

  * Well, yeah – Robb replied. - I did want to spend some time with them, and that's what I did yesterday. I have already promised you and the guys that we would spend our ride back home together, and I wouldn't just simply cancel on you like that. Besides, even if I was with my Hufflepuff friends, you could always join us, and you know that. Why didn't you come, Theon?




The Slytherin did not reply. Instead, he opted to turn around and take a look at the colourful, Scottish moors outside of the window. Whatever it was that he was trying to hide from his friend, it was obvious he'd rather not share it with the world. However, if there was one person that could make him spill the beans, it was Robb Stark.

  * Theon – the boy said, with a slight crack in his voice – what's wrong?




The Slytherin surely must've regretted taking that one more look towards his best friend. As he took a look into the boy's sparkly, baby-blue eyes, he knew that it was the high time let him know the truth.

  * I just didn't want you to get bored of me.




For a few seconds the whole train seemed to have gone silent. Robb stood in the doorway with the same face he had on just a moment ago, not saying a single word. Theon, as per usual, let his head down, trying to cover his face from his friend's sight. Even the noises coming from the surrounding compartments seemed to have disappeared. It was only the sound of Robb snorting with laughter which has returned the sound to the Hogwarts Express.

  * Why are you laughing? - Theon asked, clearly confused with the Hufflepuff's behaviour.




However, he didn't any satisfying response, as his friend's chuckle has by now turned into a full-on laughing fit. Clearly, that was not the kind of reaction he would've expected from Robb.

  * What are you laughing at?! - the Slytherin repeated himself, slightly offended. - That was not funny!

  * I'm laughing – the brown-haired boy managed to say through the tears - because we're both just as pathetic.




While Theon seemed rather confused with his friend's statement, Robb could vividly remember the thoughts he was dealing with ever since yesterday. They were practically the same. He couldn't believe he was so worried about Theon getting bored of him and leaving him, when he was having identical thoughts about him. They were both pathetic to the point where all he could do was just laugh at their own stupidity.

  * Theon – Robb began – you didn't really think I would just leave you when I get my housemates back, did you?




The Slytherin didn't reply, biting on his lower lip in embarrassment. It seemed like only now he realized how dumb of him it was to think so.

  * Seriously? - the Hufflepuff asked, more amused than upset or disappointed. - Theon, I would never just ditch you like that. Why would you even think so?

  * Well, you've been friends with them long before we've become friends – the boy explained.

  * I've considered you a friend of mine ever since our first day at Hogwarts – Robb replied – so I think you're wrong about it.




Theon was never the one to show his feeling, but at times you could've seen something crack through his cool facade, like the little, joyful flickers in his eyes as he heard his friend's words. Robb still couldn't understand why he was so worried over losing him. They've been friends ever since the day they've met on the Hogwarts Express. They've gone through so much together. He has even invited Theon over for Christmas. There was no reason why he could think Robb would leave him.

  * Look – he continued – I'm really happy that I've finally gotten my friends back, and from time to time, I will want to spend an evening with them instead, but I would never choose them over you. I mean... you're my best friend, Theon. I couldn't just leave you for someone else like that, and you should know it by now.

  * I _do_ know it by now – the Slytherin said in his defence. - It's just that-




There he stopped, realizing as whatever he was about to say was only bound to embarrass him even more.

  * Never mind, you're right. It was stupid of me to think so. Will you forgive me?

  * I already have – Robb said with a chuckle.

  * Good – the blond replied. - Can we go now? It's actually good you've decided to come here, because Yara was starting to get on my nerves.




Speak of the devil, and he's sure to appear. Right then, almost as if she heard she was being talked about, the girl appeared in the doorway, clapping her hands slowly at the sight of her younger brother's friend.

  * Bravo! Beautiful, boys! I've almost shed a tear from looking at the two of you.

  * You see what I was talking about? - Theon asked, taking a look at Robb.

  * You have no right to be a grumpy little shit, brother – the Gryffindor replied. - Your Prince Charming has already come to save you.

  * Are you sure you don't need to go to the bathroom once more, Yara? - the boy snapped back. - Anyways, I don't have to deal with you anymore. I'm out of here. Let's go, Robb.

  * He's going to treat you like that in a few years too, Stark! – Yara called out after the boy as they've left the compartment. - Mark my words!




Sadly, even with Yara gone, Theon didn't find much peace and quiet in Robb's compartment, as Jon was quick to point out the boy's actions right as the boys have entered. That said, with one more comment on Jon's stupid-looking face, things were back to normal, and all four of them could spend fairly pleasant seven hours of road towards London. Robb really liked spending time this way. Only him, Theon, Jon and Sam. Even with two of them constantly bickering and doing their best to push each other's buttons, it was always fun to be around them. Of course, with Robb having succeeded in getting his old friends back and his brother apparently having found himself a few other friends, their casual meet-ups were surely not going to be as frequent as they've been throughout this school year, but he really hoped that didn't mean the Breakfast Club days were over. Frankly, he couldn't imagine getting through his third year without the three of them around.

As the Hogwarts Express has reached the King's Cross Station, Robb found himself surrounded a large crowd, consisting mainly of families awaiting for their children to come out of the train. Still, his own parents were nowhere to be seen. In their defence, Hogwarts Express has passed the distance towards London surprisingly quickly. Apparently, it wasn't just the good company which has made the road seem so short this time around.

  * Oh, there's my family – Sam has announced right as the boys stepped out of the train. - I think I have to go now. I wouldn't want to keep them waiti-

  * Samwell Tarly! - a loud, gruff voice has sounded through the platform. - Are you planning on making us wait for us any longer?! Come over here, right now!




As Robb turned his head in the direction of the noise, he noticed a middle-aged man with a bald spot on his head and a brick red colour all over his face, standing a few feet away from them, getting scolded by his wife. If that really was Sam's father, he didn't envy him his growing up one bit.

  * Yeah – the boy said, clearly ashamed with the entire situation – I'm going to go now. See you in two months, guys.

  * Write soon! - Jon called out after his friend.




Robb watched as Sam made his way towards his family, earning a handshake from his younger brother (“Dickon, I presume” - Theon chuckled), a quick hug from his sister and mother... and absolutely nothing but a cold glare from his father. For a brief moment Robb has started to consider going after the man and telling him off for treating his son like that, but later he realized he'd rather spare Sam any further embarrassment.

  * Robb! - he heard suddenly. - There you are!




As Robb turned around, he noticed his parents making their way right towards him through the crowd.

  * I'm sorry, Robb – mrs Stark said, pulling Robb into a hug. – There's so many people in here I couldn't even see you. Good evening, Theon... Jon.




The Slytherin looked over at the woman, almost as if he was to ask her something, but eventually he gave up on this idea... thankfully so.

  * I hope you didn't have to wait that long for us to come – Robb's father said. - The train was really early this year.

  * No, it's fine – the Hufflepuff replied.

  * Theon – the man continued, turning his face towards the boy – good to see you again. I take it as you will visit us at least once during the summer.

  * I'll do my best to come – the Slytherin replied. - I would have to discuss it with my father first, but I'm sure he would agree in the end.



  * Well, remember we're always glad to have you around. That said, I'm afraid we must go now. We've left Sansa in charge of the house, and I'm fairly certain if we don't come back soon, we would find the house burnt down. Robb, Jon, say goodbye to your friend.




Of course, the Hufflepuff came first, giving his best friend a tight hug.

  * You promise you're going to write back this time?

  * You know I will, Stark.

  * Don't fail me, Greyjoy.




That said, the boy let go of Theon and moved to let Jon say his goodbyes to the boy.

  * What is it, Jon? - the Slytherin asked, offering the younger boy a hug. - Won't you hug me goodbye?

  * Maybe next year – Jon said, clearly disgusted with the proposal.

  * You wish I would wait until then, loser.




With the boys having bid their farewells with Theon, the Stark family has finally left Platform 9¾. On his way out, Robb turned around, waving goodbye towards his friend once again. He hasn't even left London yet, and he already knew he was going to miss him. To some it might've seemed unhealthy how much Robb has become attached to Theon, but it wasn't like that. He could easily go a few hours without him. It was just the vision of two months of being away from the boy which made him feel so sad. Still, it's not like they wouldn't hear from each other at all. Theon has already promised Robb he would try to come and spend a couple of days at the Starks'. Besides, even when they weren't around, they could still write letters to each other, and this time he could be sure he was going to get an answer.

As the door to Robb's family house has opened, the first thing he saw was a fairly large smudge of grey making its way straight towards him, followed by a slightly smaller, white one.

  * Grey Wind! - he called out immediately.

  * Ghost! - his brother followed right afterwards.




It felt so good for both boys to see their beloved dogs after six months of being away from home. In fact, if there was one thing Robb disliked about Hogwarts, it was that you couldn't take a dog with you as your pet. It has always struck Robb as particularly unfair, especially considering that Grey Wind was surely way more well-behaved than most of the Hogwarts cats and even a few toads.

  * Mom! Mom! Come here! - came a voice from the kitchen.




Robb could easily recognize Sansa being the one speaking. He really missed her while he was away at Hogwarts. And Arya. And Bran. And little Rickon. He simply couldn't wait until he sees them all again.

  * In a minute, sweetie – mrs Stark replied. - Let me take off my shoes first.

  * Mom, I think it's important!




Robb has entered the kitchen to find not one but all of his siblings waiting for them already in the kitchen. Still, none of them seemed to be particularly excited about their brothers having come back home after nearly six months of having not seen them, instead focusing on the light yellow envelope laying on the tabletop.

  * Hey, guys! – Robb said as he and the rest of his family have entered the room. - Why are you so quiet? What's going on?

  * Robb! Jon! - Arya said, finally taking notice of her brothers' return. - Mom and dad have gotten a letter from the Ministry! I think it may be something important.




Indeed, as the boy advanced towards his siblings, he noticed the characteristic “M” sign in the upper left corner of the envelope. It was nothing out of ordinary to see a letter like that laying around in their house. His dad was an auror, after all. He worked for the Ministry of Magic. What has immediately caught his attention, however, was the huge large, red stamp with the words “URGENT” on it. His father's letters didn't usually have that mark on them.

  * I bet it's nothing important – the man said dismissively. - Wonder what this old vulture Lannister has come up with this time.

  * I don't know, Ned – mrs. Stark said, taking the envelope into her own hands. - It says it's urgent. Maybe we should take a look what's inside?

  * If you want to ruin a nice family reunion... - he replied, shrugging his shoulders.




Unfazed by her husband's comment, the woman ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter from inside of it. Robb's siblings all looked on in excitement as the woman began to read from it, even though the boy was fairly sure his father was right this time. It was probably a message from the Ministry saying that some dark wizard they've been looking for has been noticed recently or something like that. Nothing they haven't been through before. Robb expected that in a minute his mum would simply put the letter back on the table, saying that it wasn't anything important and they could finally get around to making up for the time they haven't seen each other. However, the woman just kept reading and reading, her eyes growing wider with each paragraph. While it was hard for him to make out what kind of information was inside of the letter, Robb could be sure that the “URGENT” stamp wasn't used in vain.

  * It says they have arrested Benjen!

  * What? - mr. Stark said, probably too surprised by what he's heard to even raise his voice properly.

  * It says so in the letter! - his wife explained, visibly shaken by the information. - It says they have arrested him!

  * Wait – Jon cut in – uncle Benjen was arrested?

  * Why? - Sansa cried out. - What happened?

  * I don't know – the woman replied. - I-it's written in the letter that they have found some evidence that he might've been responsible for Jon Arryn's death.

  * What?! - Robb's dad snapped angrily. - This is outrageous! It can't be true!

  * But it is! See it for yourself!




The man immediately took the piece of paper from his wife's hands and sat by the table, pulling out his reading glasses on. Robb knew his father wasn't an easy person to intimidate, so seeing the fear slowly creeping up on his face was a dreadful experience.

  * It really does say so... - he said, his voice devoid of any particular emotion. - They've really arrested him.




His words have quickly been answered by a lithany of questions coming from the Stark siblings sitting in the kitchen. Only Robb didn't say anything, as he was too shocked to even believe in what he's just heard.

  * W-What do they mean by arrested? - Jon asked finally, loud enough so that mr. Stark could hear him over the others.

  * It says he would be kept under the Ministry's control until late July. That's when the trial is going to be held. If he's proven innocent, he will be released without any consequences... if not...




It seemed like whatever the man was trying to say has gotten stuck inside of his throat. He didn't seem to eager to say it out loud, almost as if he was scared that saying it out loud would make it come true.

  * Dad? - Robb has managed to stutter out finally, his voice breaking slightly as he said that. - What is it? W-what if he isn't proven innocent.




He wasn't sure if his dad saying it would've made it any less painful for him, yet he knew he just had to hear it himself to believe it. The man took a deep breath, seemingly too choked up to even say anything, but eventually he opened up his mouth to speak.

  * If he isn't proven innocent... they're going to have to send him to Azkaban.




Silence has fallen over the Stark family house. Suddenly, it has gotten much colder in Scotland.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've accidentally posted the final chapter in Badgers & Snakes and deleted my beautiful note because I'm an IDIOT FUUUUU-
> 
> Anyways, this is it. The last chapter of Between the Bludgers. First of all, thank you all for reading and sticking by my messy schedule. I'm glad to know that some of you might've found this little side project I do in my free time enjoyable. I really hope you've liked this final chapter, and the cliffhanger I've put at the end of it. I have huge plans for this storyline, and I can't wait until I share them with you. As for the third part... yeah, it's not coming that soon. I'm having my finale exams in May, and I really couldn't find time to focus on writing, and in process I've only written about four chapters of the story so far. That said, when I'm done with the finals, I will have four months of summer break, so hopefully I will be able to make up for my absence. Once again, thank you for reading, and see you soon.
> 
> Next time on The Robb Stark Chronicles: Robb is back for his third year, Starks try to save uncle Benjen from Azkaban, Sansa and a few others get sorted, Ramsay's out for blood, Baelish has secrets, Theon has even more, Jon has a girlfriend (kind of), teen romance, drama, puberty and more... also, you know that from now on it's lowkey going to be a Throbb fic, right?


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